Unlawfully Yours
by Justright
Summary: Phoebe and Cole find themselves on the same quest, each for their own personal reasons.
1. Default Chapter

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Disclaimer: All the characters from Charmed belong to the Charmed Productions and Spelling. I only lay claim on the character (s) that I created myself. No Copyright infringement with the show of Charmed is intended with this story.  
  
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Unlawfully Yours  
  
In the distance, a cloud of dust was forming on the desert road leading to Prescott, Arizona. Phoebe watched the growing cloud with some interest, but also with a hint of anxiety, as she crouched behind a boulder situated halfway up a hill lining the dirt road. The sun had come up only minutes earlier, and the cool air of the night had not given way to the warmth of day yet. Phoebe shivered, unsure if it was from the cold or from the nerves, and then she tightened her vest over the man's shirt she was wearing.  
  
"Are you sure about this," she asked her companion, whose only visible features were his green eyes over the mask that hid half his tanned face. A large cowboy hat almost covered his sandy hair.  
  
"Of course, I'm sure, baby" Reggie uttered impatiently. "Didn't I tell you over and over how much experience I've got with this stuff?"  
  
Phoebe sighed as she pulled the triangular dark scarf that hung from her neck over her mouth.  
  
"It's just those guys are serious you know?" she pursued, even as she was preparing, "And I still think it's too close to town…"  
  
"We had to make sure we wouldn't miss them. Besides, this is the best place for an ambush, and the city is three miles from here. No one's gonna interfere and we'll have plenty of time to get away. Now if you'll please…" he added with mounting irritation.  
  
Phoebe gave him an annoyed look, and then she turned back toward the cloud, now very close.  
  
Reggie pulled his gun and set it atop of the boulder, while Phoebe drew a Colt out of the holster hanging by her side. She expertly armed the weapon, actually enjoying the feel of the metal against her skin. She'd learned to handle guns early in life, taught by the first man who took her under his wing. She was barely fourteen at the time, and he had given her more of a life than scrounging for a living, which she had been doing from the age of ten, after she was orphaned. Unfortunately, even if he was relatively good to her, he was still an outlaw and ended up being shot dead during a hold up. By then, however, Phoebe had known how to take care of herself, as she had been seventeen at the time and more seasoned. For another couple of years, she got along on a few small thefts, mostly from lone travelers. Then her luck ran out and she was caught. Although her incarceration hadn't lasted very long, it got her to rethink her life of crime, and she found herself with nothing to live on afterward. This had begun the worst period of her existence in her opinion; even compared to the begging for food. She had ended up in a brothel, selling herself to old geezers, who could barely manage to go through with it, so decrepit they were. One day, she had pulled a knife on one of the customers who had refused to pay on the pretence that she was responsible for his failure to perform. Angry, she had threatened to cut his privates if he didn't pay up. She almost chuckled at the thought of the old man squealing like a pig, and then begging her to take his money. Of course, it had ended her stint in that place right there.  
  
Her musings were interrupted by Reggie, shifting position. She realized then that she had been lost in thoughts for much longer than she'd believed, as she saw him tensing and heard the coach coming fast toward them.  
  
"Be ready," Reggie said curtly without looking back.  
  
The Coach was entering the gorge, preceded by one armed guard on horse, and followed by two more. Soon she could read the words Wells Fargo in golden letters on the bright red painted carriage. She nervously reaffirmed her hold on the gun, even as she watched Reggie staring intently. The moment the carriage had passed them by he lined up one of the guards and began pulling the trigger. Phoebe almost threw her hand over the barrel, and Reggie glared at her but still lowered the gun and shot toward the horse's legs. Phoebe looked back just in time to see the horse rearing and throwing its rider off, even as Reggie repeated the manoeuvre with the same result for the second guard. These were already trying to get to their feet when more gun shots resounded from in front of the coach. Phoebe cringed when she realized that the first guard had been hit. She wanted to protest, but a single glance from Reggie told her to can it. Instead, she aimed in front of the fallen guards' feet and began shooting to prevent them from retaliating. Reggie had promised that there would be no killing. This had been her only qualm in participating in this ambush. However, even if Reggie had respected his promise so far, the others in their band were not as respectful of her wishes, as it had just been made obvious.  
  
Meanwhile the coach driver, seeing that they were under attack, had whipped the horses and sped up the carriage, trying to escape. He had to stop quickly however, when their two accomplices rode in the open, with their guns aimed straight at him.  
  
The first two guards, seeing that they were outdone, threw their guns to the ground and lifted their hands up. Reggie signalled for Phoebe to move out, while their partners in crime went toward the coach and had the driver jumping off of it and falling hard to the ground. Phoebe kept her Colt training on the guards, while Reggie went to rejoin with the others and then they cautiously approached the door to the coach. Indeed, as soon as they tried to open it, a barrage of gunfire greeted them. Reggie barely had time to throw himself to the side, and then he motioned for the other two to go around.  
  
"Get out with your hands on your head," Reggie screamed at whoever was still inside the coach. The only response he got were more blind gunshots through the door. Splinters of red wood fell to the ground while Reggie cringed and moved a few feet back. Even as the people inside were still shooting at him, the two on horseback started shooting from the other side of the coach. Even if she couldn't really see the result, the number of gunshots told her that the carriage must be riddled with holes after only a few seconds. As soon as they stopped shooting, a heavy silence came upon the gorge. Again, Reggie tried to call to the possible survivors:  
  
"Come out now, or we'll finish you, even if we have to cut this coach opened with bullets…"  
  
Phoebe had the sinking feeling that no one could actually answer from inside the coach, but was surprised to see the door open nevertheless. Two guns were thrown ahead in the dirt, and then a tall man with long dark hair and even darker clothing, came out of the coach holding his arm obviously in pain.  
  
"That's more like it," Reggie uttered as he aimed at the man's chest ostensibly. "Any more in there," he asked curtly.  
  
"None alive," the dark haired man responded harshly.  
  
"Well, you should've known better," Reggie replied carelessly.  
  
Then, he turned to his accomplices:  
  
"Round them up…well… the ones still standing that is..."  
  
Meanwhile, Phoebe felt noxious at the idea of the people who had died, and she cast a few quick glances toward the dark man, which Reggie was motioning toward the guards at the point of his gun. She got distracted when she realized that he was also observing her, and almost missed one of the guards trying a move toward her. She saw him from the corner of her eye, however, and immediately shot at the ground before his feet, stopping him short.  
  
"You stay right where you are," she uttered in as deep a voice as she could manage. The guard still looked up in surprise, and Phoebe knew that her gender must have been obvious no matter. She grimaced under the mask but didn't give him the satisfaction of an acknowledgement.  
  
Reggie watched to make sure that the guards and the driver were now under control, and then, in spite of the dark man's assurance, he went very cautiously toward the coach door and cast a quick glance inside. Obviously, what he saw satisfied him, because he emboldened himself and stood in front of the doorway, although still keeping his gun aimed at the inside of the coach. Slowly, he moved in, and a few seconds later, returned with a wide satisfied smile.  
  
"We got it, baby," he uttered then, eliciting a few screams of joy from his accomplices. All but Phoebe, who was still under the shock…  
  
One of the other two, a blond man with icy grey eyes, shook his gun barrel toward the guards.  
  
"What do we do about them?"  
  
Reggie cast a meaningful look at their prisoners, and then directly toward Phoebe.  
  
Then:  
  
"Tie 'em up and throw 'em on top of the coach. We'll take care of them later…"  
  
The blond man made an impatient gesture but still went back to his mount and unhooked the rope he had on his saddle.  
  
Soon the guards were all tied up, and Reggie climbed in the driver's seat with Phoebe by his side.  
  
"Thanks," she said then.  
  
"Oh don't thank me yet. I'm still not sure if we should leave witnesses…"  
  
"You promised, Reggie! And there are already three dead…" She added with outrage.  
  
"Unless you got a better idea…?"  
  
Phoebe cast a worried glance at the guards lying atop the coach behind her.  
  
"I might…" she then said, while her eyes lit up mischievously.  
  
Reggie observed her for a moment longer, but when she said nothing more, he shrugged and directed the carriage off the road. Their own horses and the guards' had been tied to the carriage and the other two people that completed their band rode by their sides. They went on for many hours until Reggie stopped the coach in the middle of the desert. The sun was high in the sky by then and the heat almost unbearable. Reggie removed his hat and wiped his sweaty forehead before turning toward Phoebe.  
  
"Ok what's your brilliant idea?"  
  
Phoebe cast another look toward the guards, and then she bent toward Reggie's ear, whispering. He soon turned to her with wide eyes.  
  
"We might as well kill them, Phoebe!"  
  
"This way, they'll have a fighting chance, and they won't get back to town any time soon…"  
  
Reggie shrugged and ordered his men to get the guards on the ground.  
  
Surprising his men, he told them to untie the guards.  
  
The blond one who had spoken up earlier protested:  
  
"What is it? Another of her stupid ideas…? Reggie, you shouldn't listen to that woman!"  
  
"Carl, I'd shut up if I were you," Reggie uttered icily.  
  
Carl still stared defiantly in Phoebe's direction for a moment, but then he went and untied the guards as ordered.  
  
Reggie watched their prisoners in silence for a moment, and then:  
  
"Drop 'em," he told them unceremoniously.  
  
The guards stared back uncertainly while they remained unmoving.  
  
"I said drop 'em," Reggie repeated more forcefully.  
  
The obvious implication finally hit the guards and they protested, but were soon convinced by the gangsters' guns trained on them menacingly. Reluctantly, they began undressing under the amused stares of the gang.  
  
  
  
Soon the guards stood naked in front of them, trying their best to cover themselves, while the two accomplices picked up their clothing and threw it inside the coach.  
  
The dark haired man had his hazelnut eyes fixated on Phoebe, and he looked very angry at this point, unlike his self-conscious companions. Phoebe only responded with a giggle.  
  
"Hey Pheebs, are you trying to make me jealous," Reggie questioned jokingly, as he noticed that she was eyeing the naked men with a little too much interest.  
  
"Oh come on, Reggie. Those make a change from the old geezers at Madame Rose's house. Can't a girl look?"  
  
Reggie only chuckled, utterly unconcerned, as he whipped the horses. The coach distanced the guards quickly. At first, these tried to follow them, while screaming invectives, but they soon were left in the dust.  
  
Forgetting altogether about the unfortunate men, Reggie pulled down the scarf he had kept on all this time, and he began talking animatedly about their take.  
  
"Two hundred thousand dollars in gold, Phoebe…With the rest, it makes just about what I intended to get before retiring from this business."  
  
"Where's the rest," Phoebe questioned almost offhandedly, as she gratefully pulled down the scarf covering half her face as well.  
  
Reggie suddenly cast a suspicious look at the girl, but he still pursued:  
  
"Somewhere safe… All in all, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for me, and the other half will go to you and our friends. Of course, your share will be slightly smaller. There is seniority to be considered, but you did good…"  
  
"What does that mean exactly, and why can't you trust me with the location? I've proven myself, haven't I?"  
  
"We'll get there soon enough, Phoebe…" Reggie added before falling silent.  
  
Phoebe thought that she detected some distrust in his voice, but by then, he was staring ahead and she couldn't read his face.  
  
She watched him a moment longer with irritation, but didn't insist, as she knew that Reggie could be very vindictive; particularly when came to the money…  
  
After spending the night in the open, they ditched the coach and left in two separated groups, while sending the coach's horses, loaded with rocks, in yet another direction.  
  
They rode along for a few hours, then Reggie changed direction and it seemed to Phoebe that they were going back. She halted her horse and called to him.  
  
"Hey, where the hell are we going?"  
  
"Trust me, Phoebe; they won't be looking for us anywhere near where we're going…"  
  
"Ok, I might trust you, sort of… But why did you have to give the money to the others?"  
  
"Because I trust them more than I trust you, baby."  
  
"Hey, don't insult me," Phoebe uttered angrily. "I told you that I wasn't gonna betray you."  
  
"Yeah, that's what you said…Well, prove it, and let me run this thing, ok baby?"  
  
Phoebe hesitated at length, casting an uncertain glance behind them. Then she seemed to make up her mind and followed him.  
  
That night, it was with trepidation that she entered the town of Prescott, Arizona. She had believed that they wouldn't see this place again. She cast nervous looks around herself, but as Reggie had said, no one paid them any attention.  
  
As he dismounted in front of a hotel, Phoebe asked him again why they were here.  
  
"If they find any of those guys in the desert, they're gonna tell which direction we took. They'll comb the desert for days all the way to Tucson or even Tombstone. Meanwhile, no one's gonna believe that we came back here."  
  
"What about Carl and Lenny? Where were they going?"  
  
Reggie turned to her with actual anger in his eyes at this.  
  
"Hey, did I yes or no tell you to trust me and stop asking all these questions?"  
  
Phoebe didn't like his attitude but she figured that now wasn't the time to cross him.  
  
"Alright, I guess you know what you're doing…"  
  
Reggie still stared at her for a moment, as if he was measuring her, and then he smiled slyly.  
  
"Come on, baby, we deserve some quality time."  
  
From the look of him, Phoebe had no doubts of the meaning; she actually felt a little thrill at this. They soon found themselves in the best room of the house.  
  
Phoebe pulled her boots off quickly the moment they were in the room and then threw herself on the quilted bedspread.  
  
"Wow," she exclaimed, "Now that's life!"  
  
Reggie watched her as she caressed the soft blanket like a lover, and then a smile formed on his lips.  
  
"See baby, I told you to trust me," he said, as he came toward the bed and, grabbing her thighs, he pulled her quickly toward him. Phoebe was a little startled, but she soon smiled as she lifted herself up to him and kissed his neck.  
  
Reggie was already trying to undo her buckle, when she suddenly pulled away from him and pushed him off before standing up.  
  
"Hey," he exclaimed, as he tried to grab her again, "where are you going?"  
  
She looked back with her most alluring smile, while keeping out of range playfully.  
  
"I'd like to wash up before…getting down and dirty," she added as her smile widened. She was already walking away toward a basin that had been prepared for them, when she felt herself grabbed from behind and pushed hard against the wall.  
  
"Don't worry about it, baby," Reggie said hoarsely, "I like you fine the way you are," he added while rubbing against her lower back. Her breath quickened as he leaned heavily into her and pushed her harder against the wall; this until her breasts hurt.  
  
"Hey, calm down," she uttered between clenched teeth.  
  
Reggie loosened his grip slightly to reach ahead and he undid her pants expertly, never letting go of her.  
  
"Don't tell me you don't like it, Phoebe. I know you," Reggie said as he was slipping his hand under the belt, now undone, and pushing the pants down quickly."  
  
His callous hand slowly came back up her thighs, lingering in her loins, while she shivered and already felt an arousal, in spite of the roughness of his touch. With his other hand, he was already undoing his own pants and she soon felt his naked body against hers. His arousal only excited her more and by then she was biting her lips to stifle the moans that she felt coming. His hand suddenly went up the shirt she was still wearing and as he pulled her off the wall, he grabbed her breasts firmly. This time, she couldn't help the little scream of surprise, as he dragged her backward toward the bed and then turned her around before he threw her on it. Again grabbing her thighs, he pulled her to him and without wait, entered her, eliciting yet another scream from her, this one of pleasure.  
  
"Yes, baby, I know you like it," Reggie said as he watched her taking short intakes of breath, and she began moving in time with him. He pushed the shirt up over her breasts and bent toward them, taking a firm nipple in his mouth, as he moved faster inside her, revelling in the warmth of her. He felt her tensing and she planted her fingernails deeply in his back. The pain was unpleasant, yet it was also exciting to him, as he felt the first wave of pleasure exploding from his loins. Even as he was shaken by the throes of ecstasy, he pushed deeper inside her and was soon rewarded by Phoebe's scream of release, which heightened his pleasure all the more.  
  
When he felt her relaxing underneath him, he pulled out quickly and she groaned unhappily. Yet, soon after she was getting up and going to the basin, as he watched her leisurely.  
  
Phoebe cast a few glances back at the man lying on the bed, and in spite of the intense pleasure he had given her, she still knew that she didn't love him. In fact, she wondered what love was, or if it actually existed. Sex was as close to it as she ever got, and she had to admit that she could never get enough of it. Sometimes in the deep recesses of her mind, she felt some shame at her casual take on physical love. That was mostly when she remembered a time before her parents succumbed to the fever. When there had still been a modicum of rules and principles in her life. However, after she had to fend for herself over the years, she came to think of sex as the only release from a life of misery at first, and then a simple pleasure in and of itself. One where she could forget for a moment of intense gratification what her life truly was like. She also used it shamelessly as a means to an end, and at this moment, she knew that in a way, she had been doing just this with Reggie.  
  
This level of introspection displeased her however, and she soon shrugged the vague malaise away. Instead, she finished her ablutions and returned to the bed. By then, Reggie was asleep atop the bedspread, or so she thought. She slid between the satin sheets and sighed of contentment at their soft caress on her bare skin. Soon, exhaustion got the better of her and she drifted into a deep sleep.  
  
Contrary to what Phoebe had believed however, Reggie was very much awake. As soon as he was certain that she wouldn't notice, he picked up his clothes and put them on quickly. He then went to the dresser and put a handful of gold coins from the robbery in plain view, before going back by Phoebe's side and leaning cautiously toward her.  
  
He caressed her hip through the sheet and gave her a longing look, as he whispered:  
  
"Too bad you're so curious, Phoebe. I'm gonna regret this body of yours…Good bye, baby," he trained before leaving the room as quietly as he could.  
  
She never even stirred, oblivious to her lover's departure.  
  
Phoebe woke up with a start, at first wondering what had pulled her out of the nice dream she was having. Outside, she saw that it was already day time through a slit in the drapes. An insistent knock on the door answered her question and she immediately became alert. She wondered why Reggie wasn't moving yet, but when she turned toward his side of the bed, she didn't find him. She barely had time to wonder if he was the one banging on the door before the loud voice coming from behind it told her the truth of the matter.  
  
"Come out right now, in the name of the law!"  
  
At this point, panic twisted her insides, even as she wondered how they could've found her. "Reggie, where are you," she asked herself, even as the man called louder.  
  
"Open this door or we're breaking in!"  
  
Phoebe was still trying to weigh her options when the door exploded inward and a group of men entered, armed as if she was the number one enemy. Frightened, she pulled the sheet up to her chin and took in the men's obvious lurid stares.  
  
"Well, well, well," one of them said, as he went straight to the dresser and picked up some of the coins. "Wonder where you might've gotten so much money, lady?"  
  
He looked around the room meaningfully, and then:  
  
"And where's the man that stayed with you last night?"  
  
Phoebe stared at him angrily before answering instinctively:  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. I've been alone here…"  
  
He eyed her suspiciously, but Phoebe didn't say anymore.  
  
However, a very disturbing idea began to form in her mind as she waited for what would come next. Phoebe didn't have much time to dwell on this because another of the armed men came to her and pulled her rudely out of bed. She still managed to cover herself with the sheet, but only partially. Then for the first time in a long time, she felt humiliated by the way they looked at her.  
  
"What is it you're reproaching to me?" she finally asked, trying her best to preserve her dignity, as little as she had left at this point.  
  
Instead of answering her question, the man who had spoken turned toward the door and called to someone waiting outside. Phoebe almost gasped at seeing one of the coach's guards coming in. He took one look at her and had to be restrained when he tried to run to her angrily.  
  
"So does that mean you recognize her?" the deputy asked, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.  
  
"Oh, she had a mask on and all, but that's her, alright," the guard answered, ignoring the deputy's attitude. "I'd know her anywhere. That's the bitch who…" He stopped, suddenly too embarrassed to continue, and the other men didn't need him to elaborate. A few of them seemed ill at ease, while others had pain repressing amused smiles.  
  
"Well, girl…"the first deputy announced, "you're under arrest for the attack on the Wells Fargo coach. Put something on," he spat then, throwing at her the clothes he found on a chair.  
  
Phoebe eyed the guard angrily, and then the armed deputies, who didn't seem to think anything of watching her dress. After a moment of hesitation, she defiantly dropped the sheet and, trying to forget the men's scrutiny, she put back on the dusty clothes.  
  
"This one has guts…among other things," the deputy uttered suggestively, before he grabbed her arm and dragged Phoebe out of the room…  
  
"So, you knew that Phoebe Halliwell didn't you?"  
  
The tall man was sitting on the bed, trying his best to keep the blonde girl, who was facing him and pouting alluringly, at a distance.  
  
"How does anyone know another really?"  
  
Even as she was saying this, she was trailing a lazy finger down toward her ample breasts, which the near insubstantial garment she had on barely covered. As she bent suggestively toward him, Cole couldn't help following her gesture with his deep blue eyes, while he still tried to question her.  
  
"You must know something about her…they say that you were as close to a friend as she ever had in this place."  
  
The girl sighed unhappily.  
  
"Phoebe never had a friend. She was a very bad apple. Matter of fact," she added, as she kneeled down in front of him and put her hands flat on his thighs, "she caused quite a stir on her last day here. Drove the business away for over a month… "  
  
"Really," Cole asked, before jumping slightly as the girl's hands had reached his loins. Reluctantly, he grabbed her wrists and pushed her back.  
  
"Look, girl…  
  
"Penny," she offered.  
  
"Penny…I'm here for information…mostly about her relationship with Reggie the Slick…Some say that she met him here…" Cole said, even as he couldn't keep a slight hoarseness out of his voice.  
  
"Oh come on, cowboy. Talking is so overrated. You paid good money to come up here, and besides," she paused as she gave him an appreciative look, "you make quite a nice change from the usual around here…"  
  
Cole had to smile at the girl's insistence. He had to admit that she was most definitely an attractive girl, even though the platinum blonde look didn't appeal to him all that much. What's more, he wasn't in the habit of paying for this sort of thing. Yet, the fact that the girl he was after had worked in this house prompted him to come and glean some information. Until now, however, he had learned very little and had come to the conclusion that this Phoebe girl must be the closed kind. Still, he decided that maybe Penny only needed a little more persuasion. Bending over, he pulled one of his boots off, which elicited a delighted exclamation from the girl.  
  
"That's more like it, cowboy." She was already trying to unbutton his shirt when he pulled a wad of cash out of the boot and again, pushed her away delicately.  
  
"Would that refresh your memory?"  
  
She licked her lips uncertainly while eyeing the money.  
  
"Hum, well…you know this Reggie you're talking about…if I knew anything about him, I'm not sure it'd tell you. I'm not saying that I do…"  
  
Cole saw her hesitation and considered it more like a bargaining trick, as he pulled some more money from the boot under her intense scrutiny.  
  
"And now?" Cole insisted, while waving the money in front of her.  
  
"Oh alright," Penny replied, grabbing the money and tucking it between her breasts while pouting anew. "Yeah, she did meet a guy here. And it could've been this Reggie person. He was a tough fellow. Personally, I'd have stayed away, but Phoebe didn't seem to mind. After her little stunt here, they locked her up for a week or so. A couple weeks after she got out, she stopped by and told me that she was hooking up with him for a while. I warned her against the guy, but she wouldn't listen, as usual. All the good it did her. Last I heard, he dumped her just before she got arrested again. 'Tween you and me, I think he did that to her. Wouldn't surprise me in the least…I guess she should count herself lucky he didn't slit her throat… Anyway, that's all I'm gonna say about this. This subject could get very unhealthy for me..."  
  
"Now if he was that bad to her, why then is she protecting him? She's scared of him too?"  
  
Penny suddenly eyed him suspiciously.  
  
"Phoebe ain't scared of anything. In fact, if he left her to be caught, she's probably wishing she could get back at him herself. She's crazy like that. But what's your business in this," she asked with renewed mistrust.  
  
"I'm not a Marshall, if that's what worries you. Just a private citizen who's got a vested interest in finding out more about this girl's boyfriend; along with his involvement in the coach robbery..."  
  
"So…you're after the money? Can't blame you," she added, smiling again as she moved back toward him suggestively. "Two hundred thousand dollars in gold is quite the prize…"  
  
"From what I've heard, he's got much more than this stashed somewhere…"  
  
Penny ostensibly put her hands on his other boot and started pulling it while she continued.  
  
"I don't think he'd have told Phoebe where. He was just as close mouthed as she was…"  
  
This time, Cole didn't stop her, even as he added:  
  
"This all seems strange to me. If she can't find this place by herself, what's the harm in telling on him to get a lighter sentence?"  
  
Penny slid her hands up his thighs again as she spoke.  
  
"Hey, maybe she knows more than she lets out, after all… wouldn't surprise me if she had some scheme planned. I wish her all the luck," she added playfully as her hand reached his groin and she began caressing him purposefully. It didn't take long before she elicited a response from him, but even if he was really tempted, the idea of paying for it seemed pathetic to him. At great efforts, and in spite of the painful stirring he felt the need to appease, he pushed her away again. This time, he picked up his boots in hurry, and then walked to the door.  
  
"Hey," Penny called, "you can't tell me you don't want it, cowboy."  
  
Cole turned to her with an uneasy smile.  
  
"In any other circumstances, yeah… Who knows…? Thanks for the info."  
  
Penny pulled at her flimsy blouse, nearly exposing her breasts completely at the same time as the money.  
  
"It's me who's grateful, cowboy."  
  
Cole again stared at the ample bosom with a renewed stirring, but quickly chastised himself before he waved good bye and went out.  
  
A day later, Cole had reached the town of Prescott and soon found the Jailhouse.  
  
As far as he knew, Phoebe Halliwell had been there for over a month, and she hadn't told a soul about her accomplices or where the money might be. After his little chat with the prostitute, he thought that he understood why a little better. Still, that didn't help his cause. He watched the building pensively, wondering how he would break her where no one else had succeeded. Then an idea began to form in his mind… 


	2. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 2)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter II  
  
The sun was already setting on Cole's second day in the town of Prescott. After he was certain that only one deputy was left on duty, he entered the Jailhouse confidently, and then went straight to him.  
  
"Where's Phoebe Halliwell," Cole asked curtly, before the deputy had even acknowledged him.  
  
"Howdy," this one said guardedly, as he took in the tall man in front of him. Cole was wearing a dark suit and looked like one of those judges or clerks that came every so often. However, he had never met this one. The deputy didn't even bother to stand up before he questioned him.  
  
"Who're you, sir?"  
  
"I asked you a question first," Cole replied, while giving the impression that he was above answering underlings' inquiries.  
  
Sensing this, the deputy reiterated his question pointedly. "You're gonna have to give me a name, sir."  
  
Cole clearly heard the disrespectful intonation. In response, he turned icy blue eyes toward the officer and it seemed to give this one pause.  
  
"My name is Cole Turner, officer," Cole deigned answering at last. "And for your information, I'm a very prominent figure at the Wells Fargo's head offices. I've come all the way from San Francisco to interrogate the prisoner personally."  
  
This bit of information had an effect on the deputy, but he still protested mildly.  
  
"Why would they send another detective? Don't they get it by now that this girl won't talk?"  
  
Cole stared at him coldly for a long moment before he answered the question with a fair touch of outrage.  
  
"I resent that you would compare me to a mere detective, "he said, while avoiding giving any precision as to his actual capacities in the company. "What's more," Cole added, "our company reserves the right to use any possible means in order to recover what we've lost."  
  
"So, you think you'll do better than any of the others, now do ya," the deputy questioned with a hint of mockery, which Cole chose to ignore.  
  
"I think that this matter could be resolved indeed… but by the use of intelligence rather than brute force," he replied with a condescending attitude.  
  
  
  
The deputy thought long and hard about this, tempted as he was to throw the pretentious visitor out on his head. Yet, he knew how influential Wells Fargo was; and then he figured that even the gratification he hoped to get by acting on this urge wouldn't be worth losing his job.  
  
"Well, Turner…if you really wanna give yourself the headache, knock yourself out," he finally said as he picked up a large set of keys from his wooden desk.  
  
He went to a barred door and noisily opened it, while Cole stood stiffly behind. The deputy then moved aside and ostensibly indicated the way in to Cole.  
  
This one went through the door without a look at the officer, who was smiling at some inside joke.  
  
"Hey, Willie, would you keep it down! I'm trying to take a nap here," an angry woman's voice called from inside the closest cell.  
  
"You'll have plenty of time to rest after they hung you, Phoebe. Meanwhile look at what the cat dragged in."  
  
The girl Cole had come to see was lying on a cot, covered from head to toes with a grey blanket. She reluctantly pushed the blanket off her face and then chuckled.  
  
"Oh come on Willie, you're already sending the undertaker to me? Don't count me out so soon…"  
  
"Nah," Willie bantered back, while Cole shifted position uneasily, "consider him a distraction. I'll leave you two lovebirds," he added before turning his heals and going out. The door to the office closed with a loud thump behind the deputy and Cole couldn't help a wince at the sound.  
  
Phoebe slowly pushed the blanket all the way off her and came closer, glancing at Cole appreciatively. When her eyes locked with his, a mischievous spark seemed to animate hers.  
  
"Too bad though, I wouldn't mind a stud like you taking my measurements. Wanna give it a try anyway?" She asked, as she leaned toward him against the steal bars.  
  
Cole had heard enough stories about that girl to expect a certain level of vulgarity. However, he had also expected someone bearing the marks of a life of depravity. On the contrary, even in this cell and with the grey outfit that hung loosely on her, she looked as fresh as a young virgin. Her skin was only slightly tanned and perfect as far as he could see. Her breasts were full and firm through the rough material. He couldn't help noticing them as she had thrust those between the bars, obviously as a challenge for him to touch her. He had to repress the urge to do just that. For a long moment, he forgot altogether why he was there, but as his sight moved up toward her neck, he saw a fading bruise that the grey outfit had been covering before and this brought him back to the reality of the moment.  
  
"Who did that to you?"  
  
Phoebe stood back suddenly before answering.  
  
"What do you care?"  
  
Cole frowned, wondering just the same thing. Yet, he still answered.  
  
"I simply don't like to see women molested; not even the likes of you…"  
  
"Oh I see," Phoebe replied sarcastically. "Stiffs like you probably can't stand the sight of pain…it must hurt your…sensibility…" she added in such a way that Cole felt deeply insulted. Before he could protest however, her eyes wandered toward his midsection and again changing attitude, she uttered.  
  
"Now tell me, stud, are you stiff all over… or is it just the stick up your butt that keeps you this straight?"  
  
His sympathy of earlier flew away then, replaced by anger as he felt evaluated like a piece of meat. He almost told her off and left then, but the deputy's chuckle coming distinctly from the office dissuaded him. Instead, he took a deep breath and spoke to her as if he hadn't heard a word she'd said.  
  
"Lady, my purpose in coming here is very simple. I have a few questions for you regarding the theft you stand accused for…For example, what do you know about this Reggie person?"  
  
Phoebe seemed to jump slightly at the mention of her lover.  
  
"What would you know about that?"  
  
"Well, rumour has it that he was the real guilty party in this theft, and I have it on good authority that you were with him at some point…"  
  
"On whose authority," Phoebe questioned mockingly.  
  
"Your friend Penny, for one…"  
  
Phoebe stared at him uncertainly for a moment, and then a mischievous smile formed again on her lips.  
  
"So, you had some pillow talk with a prostitute, haven't you? Hum, I didn't think a stud like you would've needed to pay for it…"  
  
Cole had to refrain from grabbing her angrily at this. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that he had almost done just what she said. He couldn't talk for a long moment and then Phoebe apparently decided that she was done with this conversation.  
  
"Hey, Willie," Phoebe said loud enough to be heard clearly by the deputy, "didn't you tell the idiot here not to bother asking me questions? I thought you said he was a distraction."  
  
"Ah shut up, Phoebe!" The deputy answered just as loud.  
  
"I'll shut up when I feel like it, asshole!"  
  
This time the deputy didn't bother responding.  
  
Cole was watching her with increasing perplexity, even if he tried very hard to hide it. He wondered how a lovely mouth like hers could dispense so much foul language. Then his thoughts once again wandered toward something very much carnal rather than his goal in coming here. Phoebe was the one who shook him out of it.  
  
"As for you, stiff," she was saying, "I've got nothing to tell you, so if you don't mind… you know where the door is. I'd show you out but…" she stopped and emphatically indicated the bars separating them at this. Without waiting for an answer, she turned her back to him and started walking toward the bed as if he'd already left.  
  
Cole glanced back through the barred door leading to the office, and the deputy mockingly waved the keys, obviously thinking that Cole had enough. Instead, Cole signalled to him that he wasn't ready, and the deputy shrugged as he put down the keys and picked up a newspaper.  
  
When he glanced back at the cell, he saw that Phoebe was sitting on the bed and watching him curiously.  
  
"How come you're still here?" She said then, "don't you understand English?"  
  
"I'm not done with you yet, miss."  
  
"Well, I'm done with you," she uttered firmly, as she lied down on the bed and turned her back to him.  
  
Cole cast another look at the deputy, but this one seemed absorbed in his reading.  
  
Lowering his voice, he tried to get her attention.  
  
"I've got a proposition for you…"  
  
Phoebe didn't react, although she'd heard clearly. "What's that," she wondered, while waiting to see what he'd say next.  
  
Cole cast another nervous look toward the deputy, before he tried again.  
  
"Did you hear me," he asked just above a whisper, "I got something to tell you and if you wish to live, you might wanna listen."  
  
This time, Phoebe turned to him with a hint of interest. His sudden conspiratorial attitude intrigued her.  
  
Satisfied that he had her attention, Cole stood back and waited for her to make the next move. She came back toward him slowly, apparently seeing him differently this time. Before she talked however, she also gave a look at the deputy, but this one seemed utterly unconcerned with their exchange.  
  
"I'm listening," she said curtly. She couldn't help the little spark of hope at this point but she strongly suspected that whatever help he might offer would come at a price. This was soon to be confirmed.  
  
"Well, my offer is very simple, lady…I get you out of here, and you help me find your boyfriend."  
  
Phoebe smirked since she had very much expected something like this. However, she took another good look at him before responding suspiciously:  
  
"I got a big problem believing that a city boy like you could be of any help to me. I could probably do better on my own than with the likes of you," she added, using his own words against him.  
  
"If that's true," Cole replied, unflinching, "why haven't you? Besides, appearances can be deceiving…"  
  
Phoebe watched him some more, unsure as she was. Then she suddenly asked derisively:  
  
"What's your plan exactly? You think they'll let me walk out of here without blinking?"  
  
Cole ignored the sarcasm and instead answered very seriously.  
  
"Actually, I do have a plan…But first, I need to get an answer…"  
  
Phoebe's mouth twitched uncertainly, and then she questioned in turn.  
  
"Why are you after Reggie?"  
  
"I think it's pretty obvious, don't you think?"  
  
"You're after the money…" she trailed. From the look of her, this was an unpleasant fact.  
  
"Shouldn't you worry more about what's gonna become of you if I leave you here?" Cole asked then.  
  
Phoebe looked up defiantly:  
  
"Without me, you'll never find him…"  
  
Cole wasn't impressed:  
  
"Without me, you'll rot in here until they hang you…"  
  
Phoebe was still unconvinced.  
  
"How can I trust you?"  
  
"Well, I should say a lot more than I can trust you." Cole answered very sincerely.  
  
This brought an amused smile to her lips.  
  
"Alright! If you get me out of here, I'll help you."  
  
"Then, you'll have to do what I tell you." Cole whispered.  
  
  
  
As Cole had surmised, seeing him in a suit and with the attitude, the deputy had never bothered to check him for weapons. He opened his vest and checked the revolver tucked in his belt. Then, he went to the first door while his vest hung loosely over the weapon, dissimulating it. Once there, he knocked insistently to get the guard to open the door for him.  
  
"Hey," the deputy called in annoyance, "I'm coming; I'm coming."  
  
Cole felt jittery as he had never done anything like this before, but he'd figured that it was worth the risk. As soon as the deputy had unlocked the door, Cole indicated the cell nervously.  
  
The deputy saw Phoebe, lying face down on the floor of her cell.  
  
"What the hell?" He exclaimed as he moved toward it with his keys at the ready. Before entering the cell however, he called to her a few times.  
  
"What did you do to her?" The Deputy asked Cole abruptly when he got no answer. Then, as Cole remained silent, the deputy unlocked the cell to get a closer look at Phoebe. As soon as the deputy had crossed the doorway, Cole pulled the gun out of his belt and armed it. The deputy heard the distinctive noise and tried to pull his own gun, but Phoebe caught his legs before he could reach it and she threw him hard to the floor. Without giving him a chance to recuperate, she took the gun out of his holster and hurriedly went out of the cell.  
  
"See," Phoebe told Cole, "if it wasn't for me, you'd probably be dead."  
  
"You don't know that," Cole answered irritably.  
  
She didn't bother to respond and instead slammed the cell door closed. The deputy was just getting up and realized that he was weapon less and locked up with a growl.  
  
"You'll never get away with it," he spat angrily.  
  
"Make yourself comfortable, Willie," Phoebe replied, utterly unconcerned. "By the time they come get you, we'll be long gone," she added before blowing a kiss in his direction and grabbing Cole's arm.  
  
"Let's get out of here," she then said imperatively.  
  
Cole didn't need to be told twice. However, as soon as they had locked the door to the cells, he quickly grabbed the deputy's gun away from her. Phoebe lifted her hand to hit him when she realized too late what he was doing. Cole grabbed her arm tight just before she made contact with his face.  
  
"As I told you," Cole uttered with a hint of mockery of his own, "I don't think that I can trust you all that much…"  
  
Phoebe grunted, but calmed down quickly as all she cared about was to get away from this place. Without waiting for a reply, Cole went to the door quickly, and surveyed the street carefully for any unwelcome observer. It was already dark outside, and the street was very quiet. When he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he motioned for Phoebe to follow him out. Two horses were tied in front of the Jailhouse, waiting for them.  
  
"Well, you came prepared," Phoebe commented as she was climbing expertly on one of the horses. He didn't answer this and instead, climbed quickly on the second horse then said:  
  
"Lead the way."  
  
Phoebe put the horse to a trot, and then she led them out of town… Neither one of them noticed the rider in dark clothing following at a distance…  
  
They had been going for a few hours during which time Cole had become slightly uncertain about their direction. At some point, Phoebe had taken a beeline off the road, and when he questioned her about it, she simply offered that she knew the way better than Cole did. Suddenly, Phoebe stopped and dismounted without warning. Cole had been following closely and his horse almost bumped in hers.  
  
"Hey lover, you were asleep back there?" Phoebe questioned mockingly.  
  
Cole couldn't even see her clearly in the weak glow of the waning moonlight.  
  
"What now?" He asked, ignoring her first comment.  
  
"We can't go any further tonight," Phoebe replied more seriously. "It's a big desert out there. We could easily get lost in the dark."  
  
"What the hell makes you think that we're not lost already? I haven't even seen a trail for the last two hours."  
  
"Take a look around…" Phoebe simply answered, as she walked away.  
  
Only then did he notice something different about the surroundings. He could vaguely distinguish plant life around him and realized that they were probably close to a waterhole. This, at least, renewed his confidence that Phoebe knew what she was doing, if not his trust in her otherwise.  
  
Dismounting in turn, he followed the direction she had taken and found her already gathering some twigs.  
  
"You know how to make a fire?"  
  
He frowned unhappily at her mocking tone of voice, but he didn't answer and instead, went back toward his horse to get some supplies.  
  
By the time he came back she'd already managed to start the fire. He couldn't help being impressed by her skills as he truly wasn't all that used to this kind of life. She soon let him know that she had guessed as much.  
  
"You're not from around here, are you lover?"  
  
Cole wasn't too keen on giving her any advantage over him, so instead, he protested:  
  
"My name is Cole Turner, and frankly, I'd appreciate if you used it. I'm not your lover, or your…stud or whatnot…"  
  
Phoebe giggled.  
  
"Whatever you say, lover…"  
  
Cole cringed but didn't comment. She was now observing him curiously and at long last it made him uncomfortable.  
  
"What is it now?"  
  
"Oh nothing…," she answered casually. "Hope you got a more suitable outfit in this pack. You'll cook in the sun if you don't change."  
  
Cole admitted to himself that the suit was rather constrictive but he didn't let her see that she had a point. He did have a more suitable outfit in the pack but decided to wait a little to change. He knew that his reluctance was inspired by misplaced pride but he couldn't help it. When she saw that he wouldn't answer, she asked:  
  
"Got some food in there?" Phoebe was indicating the pack.  
  
This time he opened it and threw a piece of dry meat her way. She caught it in midair and immediately began chewing on it hungrily.  
  
"They didn't feed you in there?" Cole couldn't help asking.  
  
Phoebe looked up with a hint of irritation.  
  
"The grub wasn't up to my standard."  
  
Cole couldn't help staring as he asked:  
  
"And you're telling me that those rations are?"  
  
"It's all a question of habit, Turner."  
  
Cole was at least grateful that she dropped the insulting nicknames, even though this didn't sound any less rude in a woman's mouth.  
  
Phoebe seemed to notice his line of thought because she went on:  
  
"You probably think that you're so much better than me, don't you?"  
  
"I didn't say anything of the sort."  
  
"You didn't have to. It's written all over your face. You probably went to school and had a big education. The way you talk and all..."  
  
"Is there something wrong with that," Cole asked irritably, suddenly feeling irrationally self-conscious.  
  
"I guess not…" she shrugged, before popping the last of the meat in her mouth. "But that doesn't make me an idiot because I didn't go to school."  
  
Cole detected some vague regret in her voice, which surprised him.  
  
"I believe that you're a very smart girl, on the contrary," he finally offered.  
  
A soft smile spread her lips at this, and for a moment Cole forgot altogether who she really was. She was so pretty, even prettier than any girl he had met in the city with all their adornment.  
  
"Really," she asked uncertainly. For a moment there, she seemed vulnerable and he had an urge to go to her that he had pain repressing.  
  
"Yeah," he trailed at last.  
  
Phoebe seemed about to add something but instead, she stood up, announcing that she needed to wash up, all trace of the softness gone from her features.  
  
"You've better get some shut eyes, lover…We've got a long way to go." She added before walking toward the waterhole.  
  
Cole cringed anew at the appellation but still pulled two blankets out of the pack and threw one where she had stood. Before he lied down, he took off the vest and the constrictive starched shirt with a faint sigh of relief, while watching her near the water. She was rubbing herself under the grey shirt and he couldn't help imagining what it would feel like to caress her right now. Berating himself at this, he slid under the blanket but kept observing her, determined to stay awake until she had gone to sleep herself. However, the fatigue of the trek got to him and he drifted into sleep without realizing it.  
  
He had no idea how long it had been when he suddenly felt a hand caressing his chest. He sighed of pleasure at the soft touch, uncertain if this was real or some dream. He was soon aroused and didn't make any move to resist when he felt the blanket being pulled away and the hand moving toward his belt buckle. He kept his eyes closed and moaned softly when his pants slid down his legs, even as he helped along. The hand came back up his thigh slowly, teasingly, and he was already twitching impatiently, imagining Phoebe on top of him. Then suddenly her hand moved away, and Phoebe's voice felt like a cold shower.  
  
"Hum, too bad lover, this could have been fun," she was saying.  
  
He opened his eyes to find her training a gun at him even as a chill reminded him that he was now naked and utterly helpless. He quickly looked around for something to cover himself but neither his clothes nor the blanket were in sight.  
  
"What the hell," he asked at last, his voice hoarse from the sensation that still lingered inside him.  
  
She was already stepping away toward the horses when he got up and tried to go to her. She stopped him short by aiming the gun at him again.  
  
"Where are you going?" he then asked somewhat nervously.  
  
"Sorry, lover, but I work alone. I don't know you and I can't trust you. Besides, I don't know crap about where Reggie hid his money. He never told me! Thanks for the help though," she added as she climbed on one of the horses, although careful to keep the gun trained on him. "I figured that you wouldn't be as quick to follow me like this…"  
  
The sun was already coming up on the horizon, allowing him to read her expression. As she looked back at him, he recognized the same amused spark he had seen in her eyes back at the prison.  
  
"I was right though… you're quite the stud."  
  
He realized that he was still aroused in spite of the precarious situation and his face turned crimson with embarrassment at the ridiculous situation. He tried to cover himself instinctively even as Phoebe caught the rein from the second horse.  
  
"Hey," Cole screamed, "you can't leave me here like this!"  
  
"Don't try to follow me, Turner," She called back before spurring her mount into a gallop. "Go back the way we came," she added as she was speeding away.  
  
Cole was so stunned that he didn't move for a long time, watching the way she had left. Then, he finally looked around, barely believing that she could've done something so vile. All that was left was a flask and, to his consternation, his cowboy hat next to the now extinguished fire. He began trembling as much from the cold as from the rage against this retched woman. For a long moment, he debated what he should do, but a deep resentment convinced him to go after her in spite of her admission about Reggie. By now, it wasn't the money or Reggie that motivated him, but his desire for revenge. He realized that she was heading deeper in the desert, but he didn't care about the danger at this point.  
  
"I'll get you for this, bitch, even if it kills me," Cole growled as he picked up the items he had left and started walking awkwardly on her trail. Soon the sun began burning his bare skin and this didn't do anything to alleviate his anger. Cole went on walking for hours, animated only by his intense resentment, as he imagined all the ways he would make her pay. Yet at some point, his mind began playing tricks on him as he moved on to a very different train of thoughts where he saw himself pinning her down and taking her for all she was worth. He could almost hear her screams, not of pain, but of pleasure in his mind and even through the aches, he felt an arousal at the idea. When he finally realized what he was doing, it only renewed his anger and embarrassment.  
  
Cole had been so absorbed in those thoughts that he failed to notice the man approaching on horseback behind him. The neighing of a horse startled him suddenly.  
  
Forgetting his undressed state, Cole turned around abruptly, half expecting to find Phoebe there, gloating at his misfortune. Instead, he found himself facing a man in dark clothing, the very same one who had been present during the attack on the coach, and who was now harbouring an amused smile. He was on horseback and holding the reins of a mule carrying large saddlebags.  
  
"Howdy, cowboy," this one uttered at last, "didn't you forget something this morning," he added, barely containing a chuckle.  
  
Cole chose to ignore the comment and instead questioned angrily:  
  
"Who the hell are you?"  
  
"Hey, is that the way to greet someone who comes to offer his help?"  
  
"Your help," Cole asked dubiously.  
  
The man dismounted and pulled a pile of clothes from one of the mule's saddle bags.  
  
"I've got a feeling that you could use these," he replied as he threw the clothes at Cole's feet unceremoniously. "You know, you should count yourself lucky," he added a little more seriously, even as Cole didn't make a move to pick up the clothes. "The last time Phoebe pulled a stunt like that, she didn't leave anything to the unfortunate victims, not even the water she provided for you." Cole was still staring at him uncertainly.  
  
"If I were you, I wouldn't let misplaced pride keep me from accepting much needed help," the stranger continued. "No really," he pursued mockingly when Cole still didn't make a move, "you're just about well done." He was obviously referring to the painful sunburns that Cole felt all over.  
  
  
  
Cole gave him another irritated glance, but he then bent toward the clothes and quickly dressed as he questioned the man again.  
  
"So, who are you and how do you know so much about Phoebe Halliwell?"  
  
"My name is Paul McKail," the stranger answered at last, "and let's just say that the girl and I are somewhat acquainted. Enough so for me to know how devious she can be…"  
  
The clothes felt a little tight, but Cole was grateful for the return of a modicum of dignity, even though he knew that the pain wouldn't go away anytime soon, serving as a constant reminder of his embarrassing misadventure. However, he reflected that it would also keep alive his resentment against Phoebe. Even then, he couldn't avoid remembering the fantasy he had experienced only moments before. In an effort to reject the disturbing thoughts, he turned to Paul and questioned him further.  
  
"What were you doing here anyway? I may not be very knowledgeable of this part of the country, but I really don't think that this is the scenic route."  
  
Paul took a long sip from a flask before addressing Cole's question.  
  
"Actually, I've been following you since you left Prescott. Sorry for the delay," he added quickly when Cole seemed about to comment angrily, "I lost your track a while back when Phoebe took this little detour…I only found it again a short while ago. I assure you, I wouldn't have left you in such a precarious circumstance otherwise. Believe me; I'm uniquely qualified to understand how you feel."  
  
Cole decided not to ask about this last statement, as he gathered that McKail had most certainly been one of the victims he had referred to. Moreover, Cole frankly didn't want to talk about this any longer as it was too close to his own humiliation.  
  
"Well," Paul said then, "it's nice to chat like this, but we should really get going. Phoebe's already got quite a head start."  
  
"Wait…" Cole began but he hesitated a moment. "If you're also after her to find Reggie's hiding place, I've got to warn you that you're outta luck," he then said reluctantly, as he truly wanted to go after her anyway but feared that his benefactor might turn around. "She admitted to me that she had no clue where that was before she ran away." Cole didn't know why he had admitted this considering, but reflected that it was his way of repaying the man's help.  
  
Paul's face twitched slightly, revealing his obvious disappointment. Nevertheless, he added:  
  
"No matter, she might just have lied to you. But even if that's true, I still think that she'll try to find him. She's not one to forget a betrayal like his quickly, and also she may have other ways to get to him."  
  
Cole added sombrely, referring to the betrayal part of the speech:  
  
"She's not alone…"  
  
Paul gave Cole a long wondering look, but rather than commenting on this, he indicated the mule to him.  
  
"Sorry about the mount," Paul uttered then, vaguely apologetic, "but I guess it's better than going on foot…"  
  
Cole didn't comment and went stiffly toward the mule. As he sat on the saddle, he had to stifle a groan of pain, which renewed his anger against the girl. "When I get you," he growled inwardly, but didn't finish the thought as he kicked the mule to follow Paul. 


	3. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 3)

Warning: Rape Scene  
  
Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter III  
  
  
  
Cole and Paul found out that after many detours, Phoebe had gone back to the main road leading from Prescott to Tucson. There, they were faced with a certain dilemma.  
  
"Which way do you think she went," Cole asked his companion of fortune.  
  
"Well, for one thing, I doubt that she went back to Prescott… and I see no trace of her leaving the road around here…so it seems that she at least headed toward Tucson. We'll have to keep our eyes open for signs of another impromptu detour…"  
  
"It's gonna be hard to tell…" Cole added pensively.  
  
"We'll have to bet on luck here."  
  
"Our luck… her bad luck," Cole went on darkly, while turning the mule in the direction of Tucson without waiting.  
  
Paul again watched him strangely as he kicked his horse and started at a slow pace behind Cole. He wondered if their goals were not diametrically opposed at this point. He wanted to find Phoebe just as badly as Cole did, but obviously for very different reasons. Cole displayed all the signs of a man seeking revenge, but at the same time, he also seemed conflicted about it. Paul's only problem with it was that Cole had no obvious interest in the gold anymore. He wondered also if the quest for gold was truly what had motivated Cole's trip to Arizona in the first place. Yet, rare were those unseasoned visitors who came to these parts for other reasons, at the exception of some would-be ranchers. He had realized early on that Cole was very green at this nature thing. It didn't take much of an observer to see that he had probably spent most of his life in a cozy environment with all the comforts of a big city. This was not to say that he believed the man unable to hold his own… But simply that in this wilderness, sometimes it took more than guts to survive.  
  
At any rate, he didn't know many of those infected with gold fever that would've been healed from it so quickly, no matter the motivation. So again, the question was, had it ever mattered to him in the first place; and if not, then why, Paul asked himself again? He truly wished that he knew more about his companion at this point, and would've much preferred that the man was in it for the gold. Things would've been so much easier. He sighed and figured that he'd have to take care of this problem when it presented itself. In the meantime, he would use Cole's determination at finding her to its full extent. Two pairs of eyes were better than one. When he had made this decision, he kicked the horse anew and sped up to move up front, while still carefully observing the sides of the road along the way.  
  
Phoebe was nearing her destination with trepidation. She had left the trail about an hour earlier and led the horses through a tortuous canyon toward the gang's hideout. This of course wasn't where she'd find the money. However, she had some hope of finding Reggie there or at least an indication of where he had gone from there. That day in the desert, she had known that Lenny and Carl were going there. When she had joined his band, she had been convinced that he hid the money there somewhere, even if he said that he didn't. A few days before the coach robbery, he had caught her snooping around as he said and had gotten really angry. He had grabbed her by the throat almost with rage and she remembered that she had believed it to be the end for her. She had to beg for him to trust in her loyalty that day. In prison, she had time to reflect on his sudden acceptance of her word and knew that he had already made the decision to dump her, even as he had taken her that day. It gave their romp a whole other meaning, as did that night in the hotel. She was not ready to forgive this trickery, even though she had meant to steal from him. After all, he was a thief himself, but promised that his band was his family and as such, that they would never give each other up. However, her plan called for more subtlety than simple revenge and she intended to stick to it until she got what she wanted.  
  
After one last turn, she found herself facing the shack she had shared with them. There were no horses or any sign of activities around. Yet, she could see fresh prints in the dust. It gave her hope that they would come back soon. She thought again of how she would remind Reggie of all he had promised her before he betrayed her; of how she had endured even molestation in prison to protect their secret. Phoebe would do anything necessary to get back into the inner circle. She left the horses at the waterhole and picking up the pack she'd stolen from Cole, she entered the shack cautiously, still unsure of what would happen in spite of her resolve. Nobody was there, but she was relieved to see that they had not abandoned the place as she had feared. There was food stacked on an open shelf, along with a few pieces of clothing piled up on a cot that she used to share with Reggie. This sufficed to convince Phoebe that they would be back soon. They were either on another scheme, or preparing one. Reassured on that point, she started a fire, and after eating some of the food, she began to warm up some water. She had wanted a bath so bad, and now she intended to relax in there for as long as she could. The next few hours or days promised to be tense.  
  
Soon the tub that they kept near the fireplace was filled with delightfully warm water. She stripped down quickly and entered the water with the sensation that her lover was enveloping her. She sighed of contentment, determined to forget about the possible danger to her, as the water caressed her skin. It had been over a month since she had such a luxury. As she began to relax, her thought wandered back to the man who had taken her out of prison. Ever since she had left him, the memory of his taut body had come back to haunt her many times, making her feel a want that even then caused an arousal to her as her hips moved back and forth slowly, allowing the water to caress her loins deliciously, while she imagine that he was inside her, filling her. In her mind's eye, she was watching his face tensing from the pleasure she gave him. But then he opened his eyes and looked at her with hatred. It broke the moment for her, as she painfully remembered that he must want to kill her, not pleasure her after the way she had treated him. She had been so distracted by her fantasy that she had lost track of time, and even of her surroundings. This is why when a hand plunged in the water and grabbed her loin brutally, she screamed in surprise. She opened her eyes to find Carl there with a cruel smirk spreading over his lips.  
  
"Well, well, well," he said then, even as his grip tightened painfully on her groin. She groaned in pain this time, as she tried to push him away.  
  
"Let go of me," she uttered between clenched teeth, even as she felt his rough fingers plunging inside her.  
  
"Oh come on, Phoebe. You always liked it rough. Reggie told me," he said hoarsely as he grabbed her wrists with his large hands and rudely pulled her arms over her head.  
  
"Reggie's gonna kill you if he finds out you touched me, Carl," she uttered again, while trying her best to hide how scared she truly was. Carl was crazy, and also frustrated in her idea. She'd seen him naked and frankly, she thought that all his obvious anger must have come from a complex due to the ridiculously small size of his manhood. Where he couldn't perform and give pleasure to a woman however, he took his own pleasure by inflicting pain on them, as she'd been witness to his nauseating idea of sex.  
  
"Reggie is not gonna be here until tomorrow, Phoebe. And frankly, I think that he'd want me to put a bullet between your eyeballs. So if I were you, I'd count myself lucky that I've always wondered how it would feel to nail you…"  
  
Phoebe tried to close her legs and retreat away from his painful grasp, but he pushed harder, causing her to let out a loud scream of pain as it felt like he was driving his whole fist inside of her. The pain had been so intense that she fainted. He saw her relaxing and used this time to let go of her wrists and pull down his pants. When she came to, he was again holding her wrists and he was shoving his shaft toward her face. Phoebe reacted by taking him into her mouth and biting as hard as she could.  
  
Carl's agonizing scream was very satisfying to her as he let go of her and finally removed his filthy hand from inside her. She hurried out of the tub, even as she saw him looking down at his shaft in horror, as if he feared she'd bit it off. She tried to run to the door, but before she could reach it however, he ran to her and grabbed her hair. Then he threw her back on the hard floor of the shack. She passed out again when her head hit hard on the wooden surface.  
  
"You bitch," Carl growled, while he was massaging his groin with a grimace of pain. "By the time I'm done with you, you're gonna beg me to kill you…"  
  
Cole and Paul had been riding for hours and met only a few travelers along the way, but of Phoebe, they could find no trace. Cole was actually starting to wonder about the futility of searching for her in this vast expanse On one side of the road, the desert went well beyond his range of vision. On the other side, the road was lined up by a small range of mountains, cut in places by narrow gorges. Paul had gone ahead a few hundred feet and while alone with his thoughts, Cole was also pondering whether he was still angry or simply eager to find her. His conflicted feelings about the girl had been torturing him ever since this fantasy he had in the desert. By moments, he saw himself dragging her by her hair all the way back to Prescott and throwing her back in the cell, while he would laugh at her misfortune. But however satisfying the thought was, he couldn't help also imagining what it would be like to taste her fair skin, and to feel her mouth on his, fantasizing as he was that she'd want it as much as he did, as they shared the ultimate thrill. Even as he looked down a particularly tortuous gorge for signs of her passage, he felt the pants tightening from his arousal and almost begged for release, while at the same time raging against himself for the character flaw he thought this was. How could he hate her so much, and yet want her so bad? No matter how many times he'd asked himself this question however, no answer had been forthcoming. He had almost given up on that particular gorge when the sun reflecting on something shiny caught his attention.  
  
"Paul," he called loudly, while already directing the mule toward the narrow passage.  
  
Paul stopped and sighed, while wondering if this was again one of Cole's wild goose chases. Many times since this morning, he had gone and explored his companion's sightings. They had even lost over an hour following the tracks left by a lone horse, in spite of Paul's assurances that Phoebe most probably still had the second horse with her. Indeed, they found that a hunter was responsible for those tracks and had to turn around. When Paul looked back, he realized that Cole wasn't waiting for him this time, and he hurried back.  
  
Phoebe felt the pain in the back of her head first, and then a chill coursed through her as she became aware of a breeze on her bare skin. She tried to bring her arms over herself only to realize that they were tied up behind her head. When she tried to move her legs, she found that her ankles were also restrained by ropes that tightened as she tried to pull on them, while they painfully bit into her skin. Frightened, she opened her eyes and found herself looking up at the darkening evening sky and by turning to the side she could see the sun going down behind the nearest mountain. Underneath her was a hard wooden surface and she realized that she was lying on the cot that had been inside the shack before. The mattress had been removed however and as she struggled to break free, splinters entered her buttocks and back painfully. The pain was nothing in the face of her growing fear however, as glancing on the other side, she saw Carl coming out of the shack and heading toward her with a knife in his right hand.  
  
"What are you doing," she asked in a trembling voice, as she tried again to loosen her bounds but without success. The more she struggled, the tighter they got.  
  
Carl seemed amused at seeing her so frightened, and for a long moment, he only watched her without a word, while waving the knife slowly in her field of vision.  
  
"Are you cold, baby? Don't worry, I'll warm you up," he finally said, and Phoebe had to repress a scream of fright, as she was unwilling to give him any satisfaction. He put the point of the knife near her throat and pushed on it until she thought he drew blood; then he began trailing it toward her left breast, and then went on painfully tracing a line around her nipple. Phoebe bit her lips to keep in the groan of pain that she felt coming.  
  
"Oh the brave little girl," Carl mocked cruelly, as the knife went down toward her belly, still causing a searing pain all the way down. As the knife went even further down, Phoebe's thighs began shaking on their own, as she anticipated the horrible fate he had in mind for her. She tried to close them together, but Carl grabbed the inside of one and pulled hard, opening her for the knife to slide between the labia and touch the most sensitive part of her body. This time she couldn't repress a scream and Carl laughed crazily at this.  
  
"Yeah, you like it don't you," he said then as the knife was pulled away only to be returned immediately on the flat side of it. He began stroking her with it, the cold metal painfully rubbing against her already hurting clitoris while the sharp side of it appeared to cut into the labia. It might as well have for Phoebe as the pain was becoming unbearable and she wished that she'd faint again. What made things worse was that she knew he was only getting started, and when he spoke, Carl confirmed it.  
  
"Now baby," he said as he removed the knife, which she had feared he'd shove inside her, "you don't want me to give you pleasure with my hands, and you almost bit off my dick, so I thought that something bigger and hotter might satisfy you."  
  
She opened wide eyes at this, experiencing a horrified anticipation, as Carl walked back toward the shack. When he came out, she understood that things were even worse than she had imagined. He held a thick stick in his hand and this one was glowing like amber.  
  
"No, "please Carl, no, I'll do anything, I'll do anything you want but don't do this, please don't," she begged with a teary voice, as she struggled crazily against her bounds. However Carl didn't stop and soon he was waving the stick over her face.  
  
"What should we do first? Maybe put a little color in that pretty face of yours? Won't be so pretty anymore now will it?"  
  
Phoebe again tried to dissuade him:  
  
"Carl, please, let me give you pleasure hey? Like you never had in your life… Come on, you know I'm good at it. You don't wanna hurt me."  
  
Carl chuckled crazily as he moved the stick slowly down her belly, close enough for her to already feel the burn on her skin.  
  
"You should've thought of that before." He said as the stick was now hovering over her midsection. Meanwhile, he pushed down his pants and began stroking himself as if the sight of her fear was most exciting. Phoebe regretted not to have bit harder then, even through her abject fear.  
  
When he was hard and fully aroused, he let go of his shaft and again grabbed her thigh, pulling hard as she felt the heat from the stick increasing. She was sure that it was the end for her when the loud report of a gun shot resounded in the gorge.  
  
Suddenly, Carl lifted the stick away from her and looked up in surprise while she saw a blood stain enlarging rapidly on his shirt at chest level. Then without a single scream he fell backward and out of her sight.  
  
Phoebe was now shaking all over and didn't know if she should be relieved or still scared to find out who was coming. If it was Reggie, he might just decide to put her out of her misery. Then a voice she never thought she'd hear again called her name and even if she thought that he must also be angry with her, she felt that he would never hurt her.  
  
"Phoebe," Cole was calling as he approached her with a horrible feeling of helplessness, and indeed saw that this was Phoebe. He feared that it would be too late for her until she gazed back at him with what he thought looked like gratitude. Hurriedly, he picked up the knife that Carl had apparently dropped to the ground by her side and he cut her bounds, even as Paul was coming toward them, still holding the gun that he had used to kill the rapist. He had tried to keep Cole from running to her just in case more had been lurking about but there was no holding him back.  
  
As soon as Cole had freed her, he tried to help her up. However, rather than accepting his assistance, she pushed him off, grabbing the knife suddenly, and without a word, going toward Carl's inert form. She bent toward him and grabbing his still erect shaft firmly, she cut it off in one swift move, and then shoved the bloody remains deeply down his throat. Phoebe then looked at her handy work with a single regret… He had not felt it and Phoebe so wished that he had.  
  
"Now you truly are dick less," she growled before letting herself fall on her knees, shaking anew from the shock and the cold.  
  
Her two rescuers watched this with a mixture of understanding and uneasiness, until Paul finally went inside the shack and came back with a thick blanket that he wrapped around her shoulders.  
  
Then, Paul and Cole encouraged her to come inside where she sat near the fire without a word for what seemed like an eternity to the two men. Neither one of them could find anything to say to her, so they kept silent.  
  
Meanwhile, Paul had gone back and carried Carl's body some ways from the shack, and then thrown a few rocks over him… even if he had considered leaving him for the coyotes. The only reason he didn't was that it would only bring them too close to their location and endanger their mounts. When he had returned, Cole had shaken his head dejectedly at his silent question when Paul saw Phoebe still unmoving. Much later she finally spoke, startling the both of them.  
  
"I need a bath…"  
  
She turned her head toward the tub, but even if the water had still been hot, she'd never had climbed into it.  
  
Cole hesitated only a moment before rolling the tub outside and draining it. Meanwhile, Paul began warming up water and used the time to speak to her privately.  
  
"Phoebe, I'm sorry for what happened…"  
  
Phoebe looked up dubiously.  
  
"Thanks for killing him, but don't bullshit me with your compassion, Paul…We both know you only want one thing. I won't spill the beans if that's what you're afraid of. I don't know either why he's here… And I'm sure as hell you didn't risk telling him why you are…"  
  
"Fine…as long as we understand each other. It's also in your best interest, Phoebe…"  
  
She almost told him off, but Cole was coming back in and they stopped talking. Cole watched them curiously for a moment, but then he shrugged it off and set the tub back where it was, helping Paul fill it for her.  
  
Once it was ready, Phoebe curtly demanded to be alone. They didn't protest and went out of the shack in the now dark night. Paul started a fire outside and they waited for another long time in silence.  
  
Phoebe climbed uncertainly in the tub at first. She kept her eyes wide opened for all the time she was in, not feeling any wellbeing at her ablutions this time. She still felt pain in her loins but that didn't keep her from rubbing it vigorously, as she couldn't help imagining that his filth still dirtied her. After long minutes of this, she began examining herself and saw that the knife had not broken her skin. However she could see the red mark of its passage all the way from her breast to her lower abdomen. She wondered absently if it would leave a scar, but that wouldn't have been the first one. Even if it had been her most horrible experience, she had seen some tough times before. Men were often violent with her. They probably thought that a street rat like her wasn't worth their respect; and frankly, she had always returned the sentiment. This was why she had been so surprised by the horrified expression on Cole's face earlier. He had seemed genuinely pained for her. And this in spite of the fact that he must have despised her. Although, this gesture was little comfort, it still mattered somewhat to her and helped her putting this horror behind her at least for the time being. Phoebe got out of the tub slowly and after drying herself, she quickly put on some of Reggie's clothes before going out. She owed them a warning about Reggie and besides, it could help if she had some back up she had finally decided. If nothing else, her ordeal had taught her that.  
  
Cole and Paul immediately turned toward her when they heard the door.  
  
"Hey," Phoebe said then…she paused at length, then she came closer, sitting on a stump before speaking again.  
  
"I've got to warn you that Reggie's gonna be here sometimes tomorrow. At least that's what…" Phoebe stopped, unwilling to mention his name. "He said…" she trailed at last.  
  
"Well, we're not unprotected," Paul replied, while indicating the gun by his side.  
  
"Yes, but if he finds you here, I'll never get him to tell me where the money is…"  
  
Cole looked up in astonishment:  
  
"You can't mean that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean, you can't actually want to go and rejoin with this bandit. Not after what his accomplice did to you…no amount of money is worth that risk."  
  
"Frankly, that is none of your business. And what do you care anyway. You probably think that I deserved it."  
  
Phoebe didn't know why she was so harsh. Probably because she still couldn't believe that he sincerely had cared.  
  
Cole was so floored by this that he couldn't think of anything to tell her, which seemed to confirm Phoebe's suspicions. She looked away from him and continued:  
  
"You two should stay out of sight, and be careful because Reggie is pretty smart. He won't be fooled easily."  
  
Paul turned to her dubiously:  
  
"Which brings to mind…how are you gonna fool him?"  
  
"Not that I really have to explain anything to either one of you, but anyway…what just happened may have been a blessing in disguise…"  
  
Again she saw Cole reacting negatively at her comment, but he still didn't say anything.  
  
"I'll tell Reggie that I got raped in prison and threatened to squeal to the judge. There may not be much of a law around these parts, but raping a woman's still badly regarded by those pricks from the city. They prefer to keep it under wrap and Reggie will believe me when I tell him that they let me out for that reason."  
  
"He still won't trust you…"  
  
"I'll tell him that they were trying to make me talk…I'll show him…He'll probably take me back just to piss them off. He always had a weakness for me… even after he thought I betrayed him."  
  
Cole had just about enough of this and he stood up and walked away. Phoebe frowned at this, unsure of anything at this point, but she wasn't going to let him or anyone hinder her resolve.  
  
"If he can't cut it," she told Paul, "maybe we should find a way to ditch him again…"  
  
"Now wait a minute, Phoebe…if you expect me to play this little trick on him with you, you got something else coming to you…"  
  
Phoebe made an impatient gesture before answering:  
  
"I didn't mean that! I mean, he's not cut out for this stuff. He's not like us…"  
  
Paul cast a wondering look the way Cole left then.  
  
"I don't know. He went after you in the desert, naked, with no food and hardly any water just so he'd get back at you. That sounds pretty determined to me…and also just as crazy as we are…"  
  
Phoebe seemed genuinely surprised at this. When she had seen him with Paul, she'd assumed that Paul had found him either at the waterhole or on his way back to the main road.  
  
"How long…"  
  
"How long he'd been in the desert? Hours, babe… I could tell just by the blisters on his butt…"  
  
The faint remorse that had been bothering her returned at this, but she didn't let Paul see that.  
  
"If he was idiot enough to do this, it was his own damn fault. I told him to go back…"  
  
"Well," Paul said with amusement, "he mustn't be very good at following instructions. You should know the kind." Paul added more seriously.  
  
"I told you that I didn't do it on purpose. I tried to dissuade Reggie from attacking there, but he wouldn't hear it. He must have smelled a trap…"  
  
"Well, next time, I hope you'll be more convincing." Paul simply replied. "As far as Cole is concerned, I'll take care of him. I'm sure he can hold his own. I just wish that I knew what makes him tick…I mean besides you…" he added with another mocking smile.  
  
Phoebe shrugged and then only added:  
  
"I'll bet he'd like to know what makes you tick…"  
  
Paul smirked but said nothing as they both began contemplating the fire, lost in their own thoughts.  
  
Cole walked away distractedly for a while before he finally stopped in the almost total darkness. What was that woman's problem, he wondered then? Was she so shallow that even what she'd just been through didn't make a dent in her? He couldn't understand this. All the women he had known in his life would've been crushed and defeated by such a horror. They most certainly wouldn't have asked for more punishment. And all of this for what? Money…? He couldn't wrap his mind around this. What bothered him the most however, was the fact that he still cared. "Why," he asked himself for the umpteenth time. She's not worth it… On the contrary, maybe she had it right…maybe she deserved it…  
  
As soon as the idea had formed in his mind he felt noxious for even thinking it.  
  
He had to swallow hard a few times, and then the disturbing thoughts came back.  
  
"What am I doing here? Was it all so worth it? They were right; I'm not cut out for this…"  
  
His train of thoughts was interrupted by the chilling call of a coyote, and then another, a little too close for comfort, even if still a ways from him. His hand went to his belt, but he remembered with a chill that he didn't have his gun anymore. A faint sound ahead startled him and he finally deemed more reasonable to turn back. He spotted the weak light of the campfire, while wondering how he could have gotten so far, and began walking slowly, very alert to his surrounding now. In spite of that, he still started when Paul called to him.  
  
"Hey, Cole! It's not very bright of you to go so far alone in the dark…"  
  
Cole had to admit that Paul had only echoed his very thought, but he didn't let him know that. He searched the night until he saw the vague form of his companion, more like a darker spot than the surrounding.  
  
"I'm old enough to take care of myself…"Cole then said, "I don't need a babysitter, even though you and that broad seem to think so…"  
  
Paul understood that it was pride talking again, and in a way, he could empathize with the man. He wondered how he would feel, himself, in the jungle of a big city. He didn't want to imagine having to rely on a perfect stranger for his every need. Yet he had to make sure that Cole wouldn't get in too much trouble.  
  
"You could take care of yourself closer to the fire…" he chuckled then. "We actually have a few things to discuss and even more to do before the morning…" He added more soberly.  
  
It was obvious that Paul had seen through him, but Cole was grateful that he offered him a vague compromise. Cole started back toward the campfire, but at first, he still tried to look around for any sign of what he heard earlier. He almost mentioned it to Paul, but since he could hear nothing moving and saw even less, he finally dismissed it as a figment of his imagination. He wasn't about to provoke another round of mockery…  
  
Back at the shack, Cole went inside immediately to find the pack she took from him, as he had spotted it earlier. She had put the gun in it and he felt much better the moment it was back on his belt. Then Phoebe's voice startled him. He turned abruptly to find her watching him curiously.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd check it. You're money's still in there, don't worry. I only used some of it… but if you think that I'm gonna apologize…"she trailed.  
  
He was watching her in silence and she suddenly felt somewhat self- conscious.  
  
"Hey, about yesterday, I didn't mean to…"  
  
Cole interrupted rudely:  
  
"Don't bother…I think we both know what you meant. Besides, I don't need the reminder."  
  
The hardness in his voice only deepened Phoebe's certainty that she had been mistaken about his compassion.  
  
"You should've done what I told you. You only got yourself to blame for whatever happened."  
  
"The nerve of you…If…" Cole added threateningly but didn't finish.  
  
However, Phoebe wasn't going to let him get away with it.  
  
"If what? If you got something to say, go ahead. If you feel like hitting me, well you're welcome to try… but I make no guaranty that you won't embarrass yourself more than you have already…"  
  
"Bitch!" He couldn't help exclaiming, even though he made no move toward her.  
  
Phoebe chuckled unhappily when she saw that he was restraining himself.  
  
"Well, at least you won't hit a girl who's down. I guess that it makes you something of a gentleman, doesn't it?"  
  
"Don't count on it," Cole growled as he quickly passed her toward the door and slammed it behind him.  
  
Phoebe started at the loud noise, and for a long moment, she stood there, wondering why she was so disappointed.  
  
Only the sight of the tub and the reminder of her ordeal pulled her out of it. She frowned angrily and turned toward the door herself, while vowing never to let a man delude her again. 


	4. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 4)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter IV  
  
  
  
"Did we really have to carry him all this way?"  
  
Paul looked up from the body while wiping his forehead in spite of the coolness of night.  
  
"What? You'd have preferred that Reggie found him and twisted Phoebe's neck for his murder?"  
  
Even in the weak light of the lantern they had brought along, he saw Cole shrugging.  
  
"Ah… I forgot…" Paul went on sarcastically, "if she hadn't been raped, you'd have twisted her neck yourself, right?"  
  
"I wouldn't wish what happened to her on my worst enemy… doesn't mean I've got to like her…"  
  
"Now you see," Paul said, obviously amused, "that's the part I'm not sure about… Hey, she did that to me too, and I don't even hate her. On the contrary…Just about every man she meets falls for her…well except maybe for the creep here, but he was dick less…or at least, he is now…" At this, Paul looked down with a grimace.  
  
"I must say that bad guy or not, that'll make any man think…" he added, although he sounded amused again. "Ok now, which one of us is going to pull this out and put it back in his pants?"  
  
"Are you crazy…I'm not touching that!" Cole exclaimed while taking a few steps back.  
  
"Come on… if they find this creep with his dick shoved down his throat, I don't think they're gonna have too much trouble figuring out what happened. Can't be very healthy for Phoebe… and on top of that, to succeed, I need her to get into Reggie's good graces…not at the receiving end of his wrath…"  
  
"Whatever you say…but I'm not touching that…" Cole reiterated stubbornly.  
  
"Chicken…"  
  
Cole eyeballed him but didn't make a move to come back on his steps.  
  
Paul grimaced anew while pulling gloves out of his pocket.  
  
"Well, I was thinking of throwing those out. Might as well do that now…"  
  
With a disgusted wince, Paul quickly pulled on the appendage and, as soon as he had it out, he shoved it deep inside Carl's pants before closing those in a hurry. Then after throwing the gloves into the hole they dug, he rolled Carl on top of it.  
  
"Well, now let's cover him and go back on the double," he said, still twisting his mouth in disgust.  
  
"Yeah, let's do that." Cole added with the same disgusted expression.  
  
As they worked, Paul began questioning Cole, hoping to get a better idea on his motivations.  
  
"You never told me where you were from?"  
  
"No…:" Cole answered uncompromisingly.  
  
"Is that some kind of secret," Paul pursued casually.  
  
"I just don't see why you'd need to know that," Cole replied curtly, telling Paul that he wasn't fooled by his attempt at casual conversation.  
  
"Fair enough…" Paul kept silent for a long moment, while shovelling as fast as he could, worrying about what would happen if Reggie got there before they returned. Yet, he felt that he should give another try at loosening his new friend's tongue. The unknown could spell trouble for the near future and he wasn't one to like going into danger blindly.  
  
"You know, maybe it's not that fair," he finally uttered, startling Cole.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean, you're here and I've got no idea why…"  
  
"I'm here for the money," Cole answered right away, frowning and suspending his shovelling. "I thought it was pretty obvious…"  
  
"Are you, really? Because, you know, I've seen what she does to men before…Heck, I've almost been there…and the hurt puppy look you have around her is like a big indication of what you really want."  
  
Cole planted the shovel hard in the ground before turning an irate glare toward Paul.  
  
"What the hell? That broad could beg me to sleep with her and I still wouldn't care to."  
  
"Hey, it was just an observation man," Paul said while halting his work as well. He paused and then went on:  
  
"I just meant that you should be careful that's all…Phoebe's a man eater. She uses her guiles to get what she wants and then…well, this would be the most extreme case…"  
  
Paul was indicating the shallow grave they were working on.  
  
"You mean she's like a killer?"  
  
"No, no, she isn't…except like in these kinds of extreme situations, I guess…But really, she'll use you for all your worth, and then, she'll throw you to the wolves without a second thought."  
  
Cole didn't like the way this conversation was going. First of all, it hit too close to home, but also, he had hoped that she wasn't as bad as he had feared. Even while denying it to Paul he couldn't help thinking of her and what might be. This was ridiculous he knew, even almost indecent, in the sense that the images of her naked body still came back to haunt him in spite of the circumstances in which he'd seen it. Only the memory of her wounds stopped him from going further with that thought.  
  
"It's really none of your concern, McKail…" he finally said irritably, "but at any rate, there isn't much danger of that. On the other hand, I'd sure like to know how you fit into all this. I heard of your misadventure and of the circumstances," he countered then, as he was eager to change the subject.  
  
Paul measured him for a long moment, even as Cole picked up his shovel and went back to work. Then, he uttered at last:  
  
"I'm in it for the money, of course, just like you. Regardless of what you might've assumed, it's all that matters to me…"  
  
Cole was about to reply when a gun shot resounded and the dirt lifted at his feet. He jumped back and immediately tried to reach for his revolver. However, Paul reacted faster, knocking down the lantern, and then pushing Cole hard toward the half filled grave. Cole fell in and, almost immediately, Paul jumped on top of him. Cole tried to protest, but Paul signalled for him to keep silent. Right then, another bullet went to lodge itself only mere feet behind them. By then, the lantern was extinguished and the surroundings very dark. Cole felt his companion's hand on his forearm, pushing him hard, and he understood that Paul meant for them to try running for it. Cole didn't like this idea one little bit, but he also realized that they were sitting ducks. Taking a deep breath, he climbed out of the grave and ran toward where they had left the horses, only hoping that he wasn't mistaken. He heard the clinking of Paul's spurs with a hint of worry, as he feared this might pinpoint their position. The moment the idea crossed his mind, another gun shot exploded. He didn't know where it hit, but he knew that it must have been close and sped up.  
  
When he got to where the horses were, he bumped into one of them, and the mount reared off with a neighing of protest and fear. Cole wondered if the horse wasn't gonna throw him off right away but there was no time to think too much, as he had no clue on how close the attackers were. He climbed blindly on the horse, which thankfully didn't react badly, and then turned it in the opposite direction, which he believed to be deeper into the desert. As he went, his eyes were slowly getting accustomed to the vague light of the stars, but all he could really distinguish was the vague silhouette of his companion's horse racing by his side. They went on for almost ten minutes before Paul halted his mount in silence. Cole did the same and they listened anxiously for a sign of pursuit. However, after a while, they came to the conclusion that the attackers had given up on them. They'd probably seen the futility of searching for them in the dark among the dunes that were already between them and their preys.  
  
At last, Cole exclaimed angrily:  
  
"How the hell did they know how to find us? Most of all, where did they come from…?"  
  
"Phoebe," Paul answered darkly…  
  
  
  
Earlier, Phoebe had dozed off out of exhaustion, but she reacted immediately when the door to the shack opened. She was already preparing to protest at the disturbance on principle, when her eyes grew wide with barely contained fright.  
  
"Hey, babe! Long time, no see…" Reggie uttered, almost as if her being there was the most natural thing in the world. Phoebe quickly changed expression, hoping that he didn't read her fear before.  
  
"Reggie," she exclaimed then, trying her best to sound joyous.  
  
"They let me out," she continued, as she stood up and went to him.  
  
"Let you out?"  
  
Phoebe wondered about this. How dare he pretend that he didn't know where she was for the last month?  
  
"Let you out from where, Phoebe?"  
  
Phoebe had to admit that he sounded genuinely surprised at her affirmation.  
  
"Prison, where else. I got arrested the very night you dumped me…I took the fall for the robbery, Reggie…"  
  
"I had no idea…and don't come here throwing accusations. I gave you money before I left you. Count yourself lucky that's all I did…Now, if they had you, why in the hell did they let you go?"  
  
Phoebe decided to try and distract him from this as she moved closer, almost purring while she deposited a kiss at the base of his neck. All the while, she cursed Paul for his lies. He had been the one fuelling her anger against Reggie all this time.  
  
"What does it matter why they let me go? Aren't you happy to see me?"  
  
Reggie grabbed her arms firmly and then he pushed her off.  
  
"Phoebe, if you remember well, I dumped you."  
  
"Oh come on, Reggie, I know you didn't mean it. I upset you, I'm sorry. I won't do it again, alright? You can't still be mad at me for being curious, can you?"  
  
"I may not be mad at you for that anymore, but I'm still curious as to why they released you," he went on, telling Phoebe that he wouldn't be easily deterred, "Care to explain?"  
  
Phoebe pouted unhappily.  
  
"Alright, if you must know…"  
  
"Phoebe," Reggie questioned threateningly.  
  
"Hey, no need to get angry. I endured enough by your fault…"  
  
"I told you that I had nothing to do with your arrest…"  
  
"You still left me behind and they got me because of it…" Phoebe said almost defiantly. Reggie became impatient.  
  
"Stop being a smart ass, Phoebe. I need to know …"  
  
"Well, one of the bastards there used me for his amusement…"  
  
Reggie's eyes narrowed at this.  
  
"How?"  
  
Phoebe bit her lips, pretending not to wanna say more.  
  
"It doesn't matter now…" she went back toward him, caressing his chest languorously.  
  
"I'm here and I'm safe with you."  
  
"Phoebe, what's the matter with you?"  
  
"Nothing… I'm fine now…"  
  
"I want details, Phoebe… or I'll throw you out right now."  
  
Phoebe was mad at herself for believing Paul at this point. Yet, what was done was done, and she still thought that a certain hesitation was indicated for her story to have some credibility now that the damage was done. Besides, her reluctance to talk about it wasn't completely faked. Therefore, instead of answering his question, she pretended to avoid it. Her hand moved down toward his groin suggestively then.  
  
"We could be doing something so much more pleasurable than talking…I missed the big guy an awful lot…" she added as she caressed him, already feeling the start of a bulge at her touch. The thought of having sex with him at this point was almost nauseating to her. Yet, she felt that it was better to suffer through this than him suspecting her. Every second, she expected to hear the horses announcing Paul and Cole's return with a cold sweat. Still, she went on, already undoing Reggie's pants expertly. When he didn't stop her, she went on by grabbing and stroking him whiles her other hand undid the first few buttons of his shirt. She then began trailing her tongue lightly down from his neck to his chest, all the while hoping that he would be satisfied quickly and that she could avoid doing anything more. However, it wasn't to be.  
  
Reggie grabbed her roughly by the hair and pulled her face up to his crushing her mouth with his hungry lips while he held her hand firmly in place against his loins. His kiss was deep and impatient, and he soon pushed her toward the cot that was back in its place.  
  
"You little tease," he growled hoarsely, "I must admit that I missed that."  
  
He pushed her down and began fumbling with her shirt, soon exposing her breasts, and there he stopped short.  
  
"What happened to you," Reggie asked, as he stared at the red line running from her neck to her left breast.  
  
"I told you," Phoebe said angrily, pulling her hand off of him.  
  
"Some bastard thought it a good idea to try and make me talk while taking his sick fun. They let me out when I threatened to expose them to the judge."  
  
"Who is it? I'll kill him!"  
  
"It doesn't matter, Reggie. He's not the first one who thinks of me as a punching bag… and not the last for sure…What's done is done. I'm free now… and all that matters is whether you'll take me back."  
  
Reggie had lost the mood altogether and was pulling his pants up. Moreover, his next few words were nowhere near reassuring in spite of his outrage at the way she was treated.  
  
"I don't know Phoebe…How can I ever trust you?"  
  
"How the hell can you not? After all I endured and I didn't talk. You don't see the Marshals here, now do you?"  
  
"I guess not…" he trailed. Phoebe wondered about his hesitation. Yet, she was certain that had he known about the guys being here earlier, he surely would have questioned her about them.  
  
Instead, Reggie asked her:  
  
"If you thought I had you arrested, why did you come back here?"  
  
"You've got to ask?" Phoebe answered assuredly this time. "First, I knew that you dumped me because you were upset with me. I believed that I could make you see I'm not your enemy… on the contrary. And second, I wanted you to tell me yourself that you hadn't given me up. I'm satisfied now…"  
  
"Well," Reggie replied, obviously unconvinced, "that makes one of us…"  
  
Phoebe couldn't help feeling a chill at this, but before this went any further, they were interrupted by a gunshot in the distance. This caught both their attention. Reggie seemed mostly irritated, but he still stared curiously at Phoebe. She did her best to keep her reaction to herself while sitting up and closing the shirt over her scarred chest.  
  
"You don't seem too surprised about what's happening out there," Reggie questioned. "Do you know something?"  
  
"I figured that either Lenny or Carl was out shooting coyotes…wouldn't be the first time…"  
  
Reggie stared at her suspiciously for another long moment.  
  
"Carl's not with us. As a matter of fact, I was about to ask if you'd seen him. He came here ahead of us…"  
  
"Did he?" Phoebe questioned casually. She hoped that the guys had time to get rid of the body before they got caught. "I haven't seen him. Maybe he stopped on the way to take a nap…He's never been very reliable…"  
  
Reggie stared at her for a while longer, but he soon turned toward the door, obviously on his way to investigate the disturbance.  
  
"Wait here," he ordered curtly before going through the door.  
  
Phoebe didn't answer, and then she exhaled with mitigated relief as soon as he was out of sight. She had no idea what would happen next, but there was no point in running now. In addition to her anxiety about her own fate, she also felt a twinge of fear for the men who had helped her. She found herself hoping that they would escape as she watched the door anxiously. Phoebe wondered about her feelings in the matter, but again, she firmly rejected this introspection.  
  
Cole and Paul had still waited in silence for a while, just in case. In the end however, no one showed up behind them. After Paul's last comment, the two men had avoided discussing their personal feelings right away, deciding of a common accord to concentrate on their immediate safety. Meanwhile, each worried about Phoebe for different reasons.  
  
Cole wondered about Paul's comment mostly because he worried about what might have happened to her. Of course, he understood that Paul meant that she might have send the thieves after them, but deep down, he refused to accept it. He still didn't think much of Phoebe's character, but he truly believed that she would be unlikely to help her attackers' accomplices rather than the ones who saved her from him. This didn't keep the doubts from creeping in his mind however. These made him uncomfortable and conflicted again.  
  
Paul also had some doubts, but mostly, he wondered just how likely it was that she didn't give them away. His only reason to reject this possibility was that Reggie would take offense at one of his own being killed. No matter the reason. He didn't know much about Reggie the Slick, short of the little he had gleaned from Phoebe. Nevertheless, he was under the impression that the man would've much preferred killing his acolyte himself. Sort of keeping it in the family, so to speak… This meant of course that Phoebe had no interest in being associated with Carl's killers in Reggie's eyes.  
  
Paul finally kicked his horse and started moving while saying:  
  
"Let's go back…"  
  
Cole noticed immediately that he wasn't going directly the way they came but instead on an almost perpendicular route to their destination. Cole didn't need to ask Paul why however, as he understood that he was trying to side step their attackers. He felt relief at going back, because his worries were only deepening for every minute that passed.  
  
"Do you think she's gonna be ok?" He couldn't help asking.  
  
Paul half turned toward him.  
  
"You're assuming that she didn't send them after us…"  
  
"You don't really believe she did, do you?"  
  
"I don't really know what to think. It would sure be a bad move on her part, or so it seems…" Paul continued uncertainly. "No matter, they're here, and that's all I care about now. I've been waiting a long time for this, and a few bullets aren't gonna stop me now."  
  
"You have?"  
  
"Ever since I got Phoebe arrested on a stroke of luck…"  
  
"You were the one? I thought she believed Reggie to be responsible for that?"  
  
"That's what I wanted her to believe. That night one of my associates spotted her coming back into town. Unfortunately, he didn't follow them to the hotel right away. I was just back myself and, of course, I was in a pretty bad shape after almost two days in the desert. So, instead of going after them, I got my friend to give the tip about them to the marshals. They found her by herself in the morning. Ever since, I've been telling her that some unknown guy left a note on the Marshal's doorstep about her… She didn't need me to spell it out after that, but I made sure she wouldn't forget. I was hoping that she'd point Reggie out if he showed up. As a matter of fact, Turner, when I saw you coming out of the jailhouse with her, I started following you thinking that you were Reggie."  
  
"What made you change your mind? No wait, don't answer that," Cole said quickly. He had a pretty good idea on the why and really didn't need to be reminded.  
  
"Yeah, you got it right," Paul still went on in spite of Cole's attempt at stopping him. "Reggie wouldn't have been fooled by her trick. And even if it had been possible; Phoebe wouldn't have risked it. Besides the fact that it wasn't in her interest to ditch him, she knows he'd have found her eventually, and what Carl did to her would've seemed like a picnic by comparison…"  
  
.  
  
Bitterly, Cole answered.  
  
"Apparently, I wasn't much of a threat to her…"  
  
"Hey, don't beat yourself up. Phoebe knew that you're a decent guy. Or so I guess, because she really went soft on you…"  
  
"Alright…if you think that was soft on her part, how bad could it have been?"  
  
"She could've dropped you a lot deeper in the desert. Making sure that you had almost no chance to return. I'm not certain of course…She's hard to understand really. Still, she gave you all the chances to get back in one piece. You're the one who went the wrong way on your own…"  
  
Cole snickered but didn't answer that. Instead, he questioned him further about Reggie.  
  
"Why did you think that he'd come back for her?"  
  
"I didn't know for sure. I'm not even sure if he heard of her imprisonment. Although by now, I'm sure that Phoebe told him…She must be pissed at me," he added, and Cole could almost hear the amusement in Paul's voice. Cole still didn't interrupt.  
  
"Anyway, I know how men are with Phoebe. He may've been pissed at her, but I believed that he might come back for a helping since he was so taken with her before…"  
  
Pensively, Cole added:  
  
"Then, that would mean you're in my debt somewhat for speeding things up…"  
  
"I guess so, man. But if you think that it'll get you a bigger share…"  
  
"For the time being, I'll just ask to be included in this. I started it and I wanna see it through…"  
  
Paul again looked back with some puzzlement.  
  
"If you don't care about your share or the girl…what the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"First of all, I never said I didn't care about the money. Simply that we'll discuss that later…Second of all, I don't really know you that well. I don't see why I should trust you more than Reggie or Phoebe for that matter…"  
  
Paul seemed to think about that for a moment, and then he simply said.  
  
"I suppose I'll have to live with it."  
  
Cole didn't answer that. He couldn't really read his companion's expression in the dark and wasn't about to presume of anything. They were already nearing the trail and had seen no signs of their pursuers as of yet.  
  
  
  
Reggie met with Lenny halfway through the gorge and he called to him irritably.  
  
"I thought I said no shooting them?"  
  
"Sorry man, but when I saw those burying Carl… besides, there ain't anybody else with them… I checked first."  
  
"Ya but you don't know if there won't be. We don't have a clue on who those guys are."  
  
Lenny had an impatient gesture then.  
  
"Isn't that enough that they shot Carl? I thought you'd want them dead as bas as me."  
  
"I never said I didn't. I just wanna know who the hell they are and what's their business with Phoebe, that's all. Whatever," Reggie pursued, "did you get them?"  
  
Lenny looked away uneasily.  
  
"Nah, they ran… They went into the desert and I couldn't go after them right away. But I'll go tomorrow…"  
  
"No," Reggie replied firmly, surprising his acolyte, "we'll watch for them but let them follow us…Same thing about Phoebe. I don't want you to tell her anything…"  
  
"But Reggie, it's obvious she betrayed us, just like you thought…"  
  
"Well, that it is…yet, she may be of use. If those guys are only with her and not the marshal's office, they'll think she betrayed them and maybe kill her for us… or simply stop following us. If they go on after us anyway, we'll still wait until we're sure no one else is coming, and then we'll finish them."  
  
"What about the broad?"  
  
Reggie smiled luridly at this.  
  
"I have some use for her…Phoebe's some piece of ass. Heck, and when I'm tired of her, I may even let you have her for a while…Then, we'll get rid of her…"  
  
Lenny only smiled with the same sentiment.  
  
As soon as they were back at the shack, Reggie told them that they were leaving immediately.  
  
"Why? I swear to you Reggie, I didn't tell anyone about this place," Phoebe protested.  
  
"Lenny just spotted two guys near here. He scared them away, but I don't wanna wait for them to come back with reinforcements. Get a move on," Reggie added abruptly.  
  
Phoebe knew better than to say anything and she picked up the little she had, including Cole's bag which was still in there. In reality, she was relieved not to have to wait anxiously for the other shoe to fall. She still wondered if Reggie suspected anything but he didn't let out if he did. At this point Reggie spotted the bag and grabbed it from her.  
  
"What might that be? Looks bulgy to me…"  
  
Phoebe protested loudly:  
  
"Hey, it's mine. I snatched it from an idiot before leaving town. There's nothing that might interest you in there. Just supplies for the road…"  
  
"Let me be the judge of that," Reggie replied as he began exploring the content. Phoebe watched him nervously, wondering if she had not missed something that could endanger her now. However, after a moment Reggie seemed satisfied and was about to throw it back at her. Then he stopped and frowned. Phoebe became even more anxious as she saw him pulling on the lining inside the bag. Then she opened wide eyes at the cash Reggie got out of it.  
  
"Well, well, babe. You haven't lost your touch."  
  
Phoebe tried to take it from him.  
  
"Hey it's mine, I stole it," she repeated angrily, while she wondered how she could've missed it in the first place.  
  
Reggie stared at her coldly, while calmly saying:  
  
"It'll pay for your keep, babe."  
  
Then he pocketed the money and threw her the gutted bag roughly. Phoebe stared back with angry eyes, but didn't say a word.  
  
"Let's move," Reggie announced as he stepped aside to let her by. Phoebe only hesitated a moment before going out of the shack. Then, when he couldn't see her face, she let herself show relief at learning of Cole and Paul's good fortune. She was still upset with Paul for his lies, but deep down, she didn't want him or Cole to get hurt nevertheless. On an even brighter note, it seemed that Lenny didn't find out what they were doing either since Reggie didn't ask about Carl again. She still wondered vaguely why Reggie didn't seem to worry too much about Carl not finding them there, but she figured he expected him to join them later. Feeling much better about things, she went to her horse and followed her companions out of the gorge while the sun was already coming up over the mountains…  
  
Paul and Cole had been following them all day at a distance. Back at the gorge's entrance, Cole had insisted for them to go in, but Paul had dissuaded him, convinced as he was that whatever happened, it was too late to change anything.  
  
Besides, he pointed out to Cole that they probably wouldn't linger around, considering what happened. Then they had moved off and waited for the band's re-emergence. Just as Paul had surmised, it had not taken long and he had also been relieved to see Phoebe accompanying them, apparently unharmed. The fact that they didn't seem to suspect her was a bad point for her, but on the other hand, they didn't come back after them either. Instead, the trio took off down the trail toward Tucson and soon Paul and Cole had started behind them. Paul wondered why Reggie wasn't more circumspect of possible pursuers granted that he knew they had escaped. However, he figured that Cole and he must have been careful enough. They were really only following the trail the first group left behind, unwilling to go nearer. This in spite of Cole's many attempts at convincing Paul otherwise. Paul could easily see how worried his companion was about Phoebe. However, each time that he tried to probe him about this, Cole only answered that he was worried about losing their tracks, not about the girl. Paul finally gave up on breaking the stubborn city boy and they went on in quasi silence. They had passed and left the town of Tucson behind, while never setting foot in it, and then their quarry headed toward the desert, making their tracks easier to follow, although it forced them to hold back some more. Paul wondered anew why they didn't seem in any hurry or worried in any way, however. The group in front of them were obviously making their way at a slow pace, forcing him and Cole to slow down as well.  
  
This was still a subject of concern to him as they settled down for the night, expecting the others to do the same. Troubled, Paul offered to take the first round and refused to make a fire, as he didn't want to make their position known in any way. Cole didn't protest about the fire, but he was upset at their staying so far away.  
  
"I'm worried, McKail. If they figured her out, she may be in danger and they also will never lead us to the money…"  
  
"Which worries you most," Paul countered, trying once again to make him talk.  
  
However, Cole shrugged the question aside.  
  
"It really doesn't matter, now does it? Either way, it's not good…"  
  
"Well, maybe it's neither one. Who knows, maybe they simply assumed that we ran away and didn't come back…"  
  
"Hum," was Cole's dubious reply, even if as he took the blanket that Paul offered and tried to get some uneasy rest. Although Cole was truly worried about her, he also knew that there was something else bothering him. Even though he had tried all day to deny it to himself, seeing her with that guy, apparently in good terms, had brought a very different feeling to him. One he had not expected and that was utterly unpleasant to say the least. Every now and then, images had come to him during the trek, but even more so now that he was lying down for the night, knowing that they would too. He could see him, that bandit, lying by her side, touching her, taking her, and jealousy was choking him. He knew that was ridiculous, but the notion of another man possessing her was almost unbearable. He had to refrain at great efforts from getting back up and again trying to convince Paul to go after them right away. Only the sheer exhaustion of the long day finally got the better of him and he drifted into a light sleep, although still tossing and turning.  
  
Paul watched him with renewed worry. He had guessed at his companion's true concern and wondered what kind of trouble this could spell. Of course, he also considered that Cole might have been right about them knowing of their presence. This encouraged him to increase his vigilance, as he looked out toward the dark desert with apprehension. No matter what however, he would still follow them in the hope that his quest would finally come to an end. Where before it had mostly been business to him, now it had become an obsession… He might not have been too upset with Phoebe about his ordeal, although much more than he had let out for Cole, but he was outraged at Reggie, and determined to see this through, no matter the outcome. Whatever it took, he would put his hands on the whole band and their take, even if it killed him. Moreover, as he gave another quick glance toward Cole, he added for himself, "and no one will come between my goal and me". 


	5. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 5)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter V  
  
  
  
Cole woke up with a start, surprised to find himself in total darkness, until he remembered where they were. His eyes grew accustomed to the weak light given by the myriads of stars in the sky and searched for Paul, whom he found sitting about ten feet away. The man was dozing off. Cole knew that he had barely slept in the last few days and his stubbornness at not letting him take his place told Cole how little he trusted him. What remained uncertain however was whether it was his inexperience Paul had misgivings about, or his dispositions… or both...? However justified this might have been though, it still annoyed Cole. He got up and went to Paul decidedly.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Paul seemed startled by his arrival.  
  
"See, you didn't even hear me coming," Cole pursued. "I believe you need some sleep…"  
  
Instead of answering, Paul was staring at a luminous point in the distance. Cole followed his gaze and guessed that it must have been the others' campfire. At least, they had stopped as well, he reflected, although he had difficulties estimating just how far they actually were.  
  
"Can I trust you to keep away," Paul suddenly asked.  
  
"Away?"  
  
"Turner, I'm not joking…this is our best chance to get to the money. You can't mess it up because you're horny…"  
  
Cole eyed him angrily, but instead of answering the offence directly, he used another approach.  
  
"Whether you trust me or not is a moot point right now. If it had been one of them coming here instead of me, we'd both be history. Besides, you gotta sleep or you'll fall off your horse from exhaustion while riding. What good's it gonna do you if you break your neck before we get to the gold?"  
  
Paul wanted to protest more, but even then, his eyelids were closing on their own. He was exhausted; Cole was right about that.  
  
Without another word he went to lie down and, in spite of his doubts, he fell asleep almost immediately.  
  
Cole took his place and, same as Paul had been doing, he began staring at the dim light of the campfire in the distance. Meanwhile, a million thoughts were crossing his mind and, along with it, impulses which annoyed him. Sleeping had not lessened in the least his concerns for her, or the jealousy that he felt for that matter. Nevertheless, it had given him time to get some perspective. This, coupled with Paul's rude comment about his motivations, was forcing him to take a hard look at himself. It also kept him there rather than running toward the other camp to get to Phoebe, which had been his first impulse. Now in the dark and alone with his thoughts, he was getting a handle on what Paul had meant. What was it that he truly felt? And really, what did he expect would come out of it?  
  
He theorized that thinking of her, and of possessing her, had set aside all of his inadequacies of late. This, along with the shock between his formerly ordered life and this unbridled adventure could very well have been the cause of the turmoil that shook him to the core. In spite of the fact that change and adventure had been his goals in coming here, he realized that he had not been prepared for it. All those who tried to dissuade him, they knew better than he. Still, he had laughed in their faces, telling them that no challenge had ever been too great for him and that he wasn't about to be deterred by this one. How they would laugh now, seeing him defeated by his own pride, sitting in the middle of the desert with the certainty that he had no clue what he was doing, let alone how he felt.  
  
It didn't mean that he had gotten nothing from this adventure however. On the contrary, even in this precarious situation, he had never felt more alive. Somehow, he wondered if that sensation didn't come from the fact that death had come knocking a few times already.  
  
Invariably however, and no matter how many tangents his musings took, Cole's thoughts always came back to Phoebe and the dilemma that she posed for him.  
  
What was if that she represented? Escape… Lust…Love? "Love," he whispered aloud, as if trying to put sense into the word by hearing himself saying it. No, it couldn't be love. Love was something born out of respect and knowledge of each other, that much he thought he knew. It was about sharing common life experiences. What did Phoebe and he have in common really? "Nothing," he had to admit, somewhat painfully. "Nothing at all…" In his world, she would be a pariah, looked upon as some kind of freak of nature. After turning these thoughts in his head for quite a while, he finally managed to convince himself that she shouldn't matter so much to him. That his original goals had only been sidetracked by her appeal, and that she should no longer be his main concern. Yes, maybe Paul was right and he should try his best to concentrate on what was real…Once he had made this decision, he thought that he could relax somewhat. However, a faint noise on his left alerted him…  
  
Phoebe watched Reggie discussing with the two men now completing their little band. These had come to them near Tucson, but Reggie had sent them away and only now were they rejoining with their group. When he had dispatched them the first time, Phoebe had simply found it strange. However now, she decided that this new development was really worrisome. Particularly because of the manner in which they had come back to them… These men had arrived under the cover of night and from a different direction, telling her that they had sought to avoid something behind Reggie, Lenny and her, or so it seemed. This something was pretty obvious to her.  
  
For a while already, she had been wondering about Cole and Paul. She was certain that they were somewhere behind, but the real issue was how much Reggie knew. After the two accomplices' arrival, she had a terrible presentiment. Earlier, she had shed most of her clothing quickly and rolled herself into the thick blanket that she'd brought along; mostly hoping that Reggie would think her asleep and that he would leave her alone. Now, she had the urge to grab her things and try to go warn the others out of a strange sense of loyalty, which still puzzled her. However, she had noticed Reggie watching her and she decided to wait and see. Meanwhile, and trying to set aside her fears, she reflected about the way she felt at this point.  
  
Reggie seemed to have no carnal urge whatsoever at the moment, to her intense relief. She was still in pain physically, but most of all morally. Even if she was no stranger to man's violence, this time it had gone much farther. At the very least, she thought so, as she felt a strange need... one that had been totally unknown to her before… In the past, when her soul had suffered, she had used physical love to fill the void inside and most of the time it had worked marvels. However, it wasn't the anticipated pain that stopped her from seeking this form of relief, but rather the fact that she aspired to something different. Compassion… Communion with one who wouldn't be only interested in her body, but also in how she felt... Phoebe knew that this was only a dream, for no man was able of such a thing. Much more, in order to attain this, she would've had to willingly give something of herself in the process, which was even more unthinkable.  
  
Or was it? For a short while, back at the shack, she had believed that she had seen such a sentiment in a man and had the urge to give in to this very strange weakness. In a small corner of her soul, she had let herself hope that he was the one who would prove to be different from all others. Then, the harsh reality had hit her more than she was willing to admit. Yet, even if she knew that he was no different in her mind, she had not been able to stop herself from getting those urges repeatedly through this day. Obviously, it was what had inspired the need to warn him.  
  
As she realized this, she also understood how much of a mistake it would be. Phoebe had always acted in her best interest alone. If it might seem somewhat selfish to many, it wasn't how she saw it. For her it meant basic survival. Phoebe was not about to risk everything for someone else, because she knew that no one would take care of her… only herself. She was a survivor who would never relinquish to anyone the control over her destiny. Even Reggie knew that he had no power over her, in spite of the fact that she had been part of his little band for a while and that he expected this from her and everyone else. Surely, that was why he mistrusted her, but this couldn't change the way she was. So that when the impulse to help came to her, she forced herself to remember that no one would worry for her safety and most of all, that Cole and Paul only had themselves to blame if something happened. Yet, she still worried about what would become of them.  
  
The men had stopped talking suddenly and if she had not known the tone of their conversation, seeing the two newcomers getting up and leaving told her all she needed to know. She closed her eyes almost completely when she saw Reggie looking her way, and his expression suddenly made her fear for herself as well. Until now, she had assumed that he had stopped believing in her involvement with their pursuers. However, right then, a sinking feeling crept inside of her. What if he had played her? Wanting to see if she would crack? Reggie watched her for a long time, and she stayed as immobile as she could, trying to fool him into thinking that she had indeed fallen asleep and didn't care one way or another about what those men's fate or that she had no fear about her own. When he finally made a move toward her however, it took her all she had not to get up and run. Instead, she watched him coming and was surprised that he went by her without trying to wake her. She was almost sighing in relief when she heard the distinctive sounds of him undressing behind her. She had hoped to avoid this, but at this point, although her concern for the others still weighed heavily on her mind, she was relieved that it was all he had wanted with her. He pulled at the blanket and soon he was leaning against her, while his hand caressed her sides rudely.  
  
"Don't play games with me," he said then as his hand went down to her bare buttocks and grabbed one firmly. She jumped slightly but didn't react otherwise, waiting to see what he would say next. It was soon obvious that her relief had been premature…  
  
"So, my sweet," he continued in a low voice, his mouth inches from her neck, "what do you know of our unwelcome escort?"  
  
Taking a deep breath, she uttered.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about…but Reggie, could we skip it tonight," she tried instead…I don't feel too good," she added, although she didn't make any move to get away from him. She knew that it would only make things worse. She felt his arousal twitching on her lower back and reflected dejectedly about how men found a woman's fear exciting.  
  
"Oh Phoebe, you never refused a little fun before…are you worried about something?" he asked as his grip tightened on her buttock and she couldn't help a wince.  
  
"Just that you're bothering me," she tried. "You know what happened to me…That stupid guard hurt me good. I could use a little break…"  
  
"Is that right," Reggie continued, while his hand relaxed on her buttocks. However, it soon slithered between her legs. "Or is it that you want another warm body against you tonight? Maybe you expect one of those to be some kind of knight in shining armor taking you away from all this?"  
  
"You're crazy," she uttered, even as his purposeful touch still excited her in spite of her fears. She felt ashamed at her reaction, suddenly cursing her weakness as tears formed in the corner of her eyes. "I've got no idea what you're talking about," she pursued aloud, and then bit her lips when she felt his hand probing her and the pain mixing in with the arousal.  
  
"You're lucky I still like your beautiful ass Phoebe, or I'd break your neck right now," he growled, even as she heard the first gunshot in the distance, then another and another. She stifled a scream of distress, but Reggie still sensed her tensing and seemed to find this amusing, and even more so, exciting. He pinned her face down and parted her thighs with his knees. "See, even now your pussy is all willing to open up for me. Yeah baby, you really are one of a kind," he added as he lifted her hips and entered her forcefully. "Now you see that I'm the only one you got left," he continued when she groaned as much in sorrow than pain. "But I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself, Phoebe. Just because I'm not tired of you yet…just make sure that doesn't happen and that you don't betray me again," he pursued threateningly, even as his breathing quickened along with his movement inside of her. "That's the only way you're gonna live…" and Phoebe knew that he meant it, as she made no move to resist him. In fact, to her utter disgust, and in spite of the pain, she felt the first wave of pleasure coursing through her even as she cried softly for the loss of something she wasn't even sure she ever had.  
  
The two acolytes moved cautiously toward their victims, surprised as they were by their failure to respond to their fire. What they found, however, were a couple of coyotes still trying to defend the corpse of a slaughtered mule along with the bloody remains of blankets apparently shredded to pieces. They shot one of the coyotes and the other one ran away. A little further, they found a bloody trail leading toward the desert. Something had been dragged away... something heavy. All of this told them all they had to know. Whoever these men were, the beasts had surprised them in their sleep and they had no chance to defend themselves. Maybe their throats were slit first, they reflected, as they also found a gun lying on the ground, unused. They also saw the prints of horses moving away in another direction but only assumed that these had run to escape the coyotes. Satisfied, they turned back toward their own camps to give the good news to Reggie…  
  
  
  
Cole watched Reggie and Phoebe in abject fascination, torn by an urge to shoot them right away, while he knew that it wasn't the answer. What really stopped him however, besides the firm grasp of his companion on his arm, was the look on her face. The fire gave more than enough light for him to see even from a distance, and he could read fear and sorrow in her expression. When he was certain of this, he took one step ahead, but Paul tightened his hold on his arm, urging him to stand back imperatively.  
  
Earlier, Cole had found that the faint noise he'd heard were coyotes roaming about. However, it also brought back to him a memory of the sound he'd heard back at the shack and he'd suddenly wondered again what it might had been. This got him to reflect on their quarry's slow pace. If it could have indicated they didn't know they were followed but were in no hurry, it could also have meant that Paul and he were being set up. The more he thought about it, the more likely the latter became to him. It also meant that Phoebe was in fact in danger… unless she had betrayed them. The thought didn't sit well with him.  
  
At last, he had awakened Paul and convinced him of the possible danger to them. It hadn't been too hard, as Paul had asked himself the same question a few times that day. After Cole also told him of the coyotes lurking about, he seemed to have an idea. Without a word, he got up and apparently looked around for any sign of surveillance. Then, he came back toward Cole and pulled a serrated knife out of his belt. Lifting his sleeve, he cut a deep gash in his forearm, dripping blood all over his blanket. Then he grabbed it and quickly tore it apart with the help of the knife, and under Cole's astonished stare. What really horrified Cole however was when he slaughtered his own mule with one swift move and then went on slashing the animal, until all that was left was a bloody mess. Picking up Cole's blanket, he put more blood on it; some from the mule mingled with his own, and then filled it with rocks.  
  
"Drag this as far away from the camp as you can," Paul then told Cole. This one didn't make a move at first, stunned by Paul's actions.  
  
"Hey, you're gonna move or not," Paul almost screamed.  
  
This shook Cole as he grabbed the heavy blanket, and then reluctantly took the knife that Paul was now offering him. Dragging his burden for a good distance in the darkness, he finally stopped, emptied the blanket and dropped it even further after having slashed it in the same fashion as he had seen Paul doing with the other one. He went back toward Paul, dragging a thick twig behind him to mask his own footprints while his mind was in turmoil, wondering if the man he was stuck with wasn't as bad as the ones they pursued. Yet, he had to admit that this made some sense. If the gang thought them dead, they would probably lead them to their real destination at last. Of course, throughout all of this, Cole wondered if his intuition was the right one. It wasn't until he heard the gunshots, even as he was watching Phoebe and Reggie, that he knew he had been dead on the mark.  
  
This had been Cole's only other request. In spite of his doubts about her, he had insisted on them going to see for themselves if she was ok. By the time he had rejoined with Paul, he was convinced that Reggie must've conned her into thinking that she was safe. He had no idea why the man didn't kill her on the spot, but he wasn't going to wait until he found her body on the way. Surprising Cole, Paul agreed almost immediately and after going cautiously around their camp, and then leaving the horses behind, they had made their way toward the campfire only to witness this appalling spectacle. At least, it was for Cole... He painfully had to see the whole thing through. Then it was only when they heard the horses coming back that Reggie pulled away from Phoebe. This one remained face down a little longer, while Reggie didn't even bother to get dressed before turning toward his men. Phoebe, for her part, finally got on her side and pulled the blanket toward her, under the lurid stares of the acolytes. A hard glare from their leader straightened them up however, and they told him of what they had found. Paul exhaled in relief when he saw Reggie smiling cruelly, obviously convinced of their demise. Phoebe grimaced slightly herself, but to Cole's consternation, she suddenly got up and went to Reggie. When he saw the way she acted next, he truly believed that he had dreamt the pain of earlier. Now she seemed confident and remorseless, as she shamelessly rubbed against him. She was grabbing his buttock with one hand and loosely holding the blanket against her with the other. Oblivious to the acolytes, she purred.  
  
"Alright now, are you done already? Can we get back to business?"  
  
Reggie gave her a somewhat uncertain look.  
  
"Babe, are you trying to make me believe you don't care what happened to those guys? It didn't feel like it back then…"  
  
"Since when have you known me to care about anyone but myself? I was just worried that you'd turn on me, Reggie."  
  
"I saw you with them back at the shack, Phoebe," he revealed threateningly.  
  
Phoebe was a little startled, but she quickly recuperated.  
  
"If I'd told you they'd followed me there, you'd have suspected me. And then, when you said they ran away, I thought this business was done with…"  
  
"And what about Carl…?"  
  
There, she visibly flinched. However, instead of trying to deny her knowledge of his fate, she went on:  
  
"Reggie…I swear I didn't have anything to do with his death. They killed him when he surprised them. I didn't know how to tell you; I was scared of your reaction…You can understand that, can't you," she added as she looked up with her most innocent gaze.  
  
"And you didn't think it was important to tell me about Carl being dead, or them," he asked suspiciously.  
  
"I told you…I was scared. Then, when Lenny shot at them and you told me they ran, I didn't think they'd follow us. What do you want me to say? I have a good ass but no brains, I guess," she continued, while an alluring smile formed on her lips and she tightened her grip on him. "You're ass is not too bad either," she continued then.  
  
"Don't push it, Phoebe," Reggie said, even though he appeared to soften.  
  
"Come on, it was never my intention to betray you, Reggie," Phoebe then said almost plaintively. "You know I'm with you all the way."  
  
Reggie watched her uncertainly a moment longer and Phoebe felt a chill. However, when Reggie spoke again, she thought that things weren't as bad as she had feared.  
  
"Well, babe, I guess I can give you the benefit of the doubt. And since those guys seem to have gotten what they deserved…No more funny business though…" He grabbed her buttock in turn and pinched it almost gently. Then:  
  
"But for now, you better get some sleep, babe. We'll have plenty of time for fun later. Me, I still have some business to attend to."  
  
Phoebe pouted, seemingly unhappy about it, but she finally walked away and went back to lay by the fire.  
  
If at first, Paul had to restrain Cole, now this one was standing as immobile as a statue, and then Paul practically had to drag him toward a boulder nearby, worried that the gangsters would come look their way. Even in the semi darkness, he recognized the confused expression of his companion but didn't comment at first. Then he heard Cole grumbling under his breath.  
  
"Bloody bitch. I should've known better…"  
  
Paul wasn't one to defend another usually, but this time, he felt the need to try.  
  
"Hey, it was her life at stake there. Phoebe isn't one to let her emotions get in the way of her survival. You should admire that at least."  
  
Cole cast him a seriously dubious look, but didn't answer. Instead, they both looked back toward the camp, watching for their next step.  
  
  
  
Reggie was signalling for Lenny to come to him and this one grabbed his leader's outfit on the way, while giving Phoebe a chilling look. Phoebe stared back, unflinching and then after he left, she turned her back to them, convinced that she had gotten in Reggie's good graces again.  
  
Lenny was watching his boss unhappily while this one dressed.  
  
"Reggie, you can't be seriously thinking of keeping that broad around after this…" he finally uttered, "She's gonna betray us at the drop of a hat."  
  
Reggie cast a glance toward Phoebe but she didn't seem to pay them any attention.  
  
He still pulled Lenny a little further before answering this.  
  
"Don't worry… tomorrow we'll have some fun with her. This should be a good distraction. I'll have first dip of course, then you, and then the others. Afterward, when we're done…"  
  
Reggie didn't finish the sentence, but the look on his face was eloquent. Lenny smiled in the same fashion while looking back at her.  
  
"Yeah…" he simply added.  
  
Right then, Reggie was back to business.  
  
"But for now, I wanna make sure that those guys are out of our hair for good. One of us is gonna stay here to keep an eye on her while we'll do a little search for the coyotes' leftovers."  
  
"Right," Lenny acquiesced, while Reggie gave his instructions to the others. Then, Lenny, Reggie and one other got on their horses and left the campfire.  
  
"Hey," Paul whispered at this, "we gotta go. It wouldn't do us any good if they found us now…"  
  
"We're not going without her," Cole said at last, surprising Paul, who no longer believed he cared.  
  
"Don't worry about her, she can hold her own against Reggie. You saw her, didn't you?"  
  
"Didn't you see the look on those men's faces?" Cole replied stubbornly. "They're gonna kill her. I'm sure of it and I can't let that happen…"  
  
By then, he wasn't sure of much else anymore, except that he couldn't let her die. In addition, he was determined to see for himself whether she was as bad as her actions seemed to indicate, or if Paul was right. At any rate, if it was the latter, then he most certainly couldn't risk leaving her behind.  
  
"We're getting her out of there and that's that. I'll knock down the guard from behind and he'll think that she did it. They'll just think that she ran away on her own."  
  
Paul had serious doubts about this plan and was about to tell him, when he felt a strong breeze on his face.  
  
"Ok," he suddenly said, "I think you're right. It's very possible that Reggie didn't buy her act. He was probably just horny, that's all," Paul went on with a hint of mockery. "You should know the kind…"  
  
The fact that Cole didn't even react to this told Paul even more how determined he was. The thing that worried him however was that the bandits might follow their tracks afterward and figure out they were still alive. He knew that this possibility had not occurred to Cole in his haste to save the girl. Fortunately, the desert was about to provide a ready-made solution.  
  
As minutes went by, the breeze only strengthened, telling Paul that his assumption about the coming weather was the right one. He convinced Cole to wait while the man who was guarding the camp seemed to come to the same conclusion about the weather, because he rolled himself in a blanket and no longer worried about Phoebe but rather about the coming sandstorm. Besides, from the way he positioned himself, near the horse, it was obvious that he believed she wouldn't have left on foot. At any rate, Phoebe seemed fast asleep at this point. Afterward, it didn't take much longer before the storm struck. Another stroke of luck for them was that the others didn't come back right away, making it easy to enter the camp unseen under the cover of the dense storm. When he was certain that the guard didn't pay any attention to Phoebe, Cole cautiously went toward her and, without giving Phoebe a chance to protest, he grabbed her with the blanket and threw her over his shoulder, soon kicking and screaming. The deafening wind covered her protests enough that the guard never looked back, although Paul had been prepared to end his life had he done so.  
  
When Cole saw that she wouldn't stop kicking, he reluctantly hit her through the blanket. She then went limp on his shoulder. Cole trudged his way toward the horses with Paul in tow. After dropping Phoebe on one of them, he climbed behind her and they walked the reluctant animals toward a small mountain range Paul had spotted. Paul hoped to find shelter there and, in addition, to be in a good position to watch the camp from afar without being seen themselves. The storm was strong enough that as Paul had foreseen, their winds erased their tracks even as they went.  
  
For a while, they wondered if they were heading in the right direction as the storm blinded them just as much as the guard had been. This until Paul distinguished the first signs of the rocky formation ahead. He urged Cole to hurry and they soon found cover inside a crevasse. There, in the relative calm, Cole took Phoebe off the horse and anxiously looked her over. She hadn't moved since he had hit her and he feared that he'd hit harder than he had intended. Although, she was still unconscious however, her breathing seemed normal enough. Paul came around and questioned teasingly:  
  
"Hey, I thought you wanted to rescue her, not kill her…"  
  
Cole growled unhappily before defending his action grudgingly.  
  
"She wouldn't stop fighting me. I had to make sure she wouldn't run back or alert them," he said in guise of excuse.  
  
Paul still watched him dubiously, unsure if Cole had not used this as retaliation against her as well. Cole shrugged while he reported her attention toward Phoebe and began trying to shake her awake. Finally, to his relief, her eyes fluttered opened and her first reaction was a weak smile.  
  
"You're alive," she whispered hoarsely. Then she seemed to remember what happened.  
  
"You son of a bitch," she exclaimed, as she pushed him away rudely. "Why in the hell did you do this?"  
  
Cole responded angrily:  
  
"Hardly enough, we were trying to save you…"  
  
"Oh and you did such a great job of it," Phoebe screamed angrily. "I didn't need saving. You should've saved your own asses and left me alone."  
  
"You know, just about now, I think so too," Cole answered then. His voice was low and calm, yet she sensed barely contained anger in it.  
  
"Then, if you don't mind I'll find my way back" Phoebe still said stubbornly while she turned away.  
  
"Because you got such a nice ass that you think he won't snap your neck," Cole sarcastically added.  
  
Phoebe stopped short without looking back. This, she knew, meant that he had been watching. Until that moment, her anger had been mitigated, only driven, as she was, by the feeling that they had messed up with her plans. This however, gave Phoebe the irrational, but to her very real, impression that he took her away only because he somehow wanted to punish her, not save her. She was not about to give an inch.  
  
"So that's how you get your kicks, cowboy… Was that fun," she asked derisively.  
  
Cole was about to reply, but Paul thought it a better idea to stop this now.  
  
"Ok kids, this might seem fun to you, but I'm passed this sort of entertainment. As for you Phoebe, you're not going anywhere. For your information, I'd say that your life expectancy just went up tremendously, thanks to Turner here. How long do you think it'd have been before Reggie got tired of banging your devious ass? A week... less...? He'd have killed you and taken as much pleasure in it as he had earlier pinning you down."  
  
"This is my business; you had no right to interfere. I'd have gotten away the moment I found the money. I managed through life without your so called help, and I will again…"  
  
Then Phoebe tried anew to go toward the entrance to the crevasse, but Paul put himself firmly in front of her.  
  
"Now, now… first of all, that's really stupid of you to wanna try and run back half naked in a sandstorm …" Paul said as he eyed her from head to toe. Phoebe didn't even flinch.  
  
"But much than that, Phoebe, how stupid do you think I am?" he growled then.  
  
"Do you really believe I don't know what's brewing inside that pea brain of yours?"  
  
Cole frowned at the sudden change in Paul's attitude…  
  
"Paul?"  
  
"The little angel here is planning to go and give us up in exchange for her share of the money."  
  
Phoebe's jaw set at this.  
  
"You bastard…you probably say this because that's what you'd do!"  
  
"Don't try to sweet talk me babe," Paul said as he pushed his vest to the side and rested his hand on the revolver nestled in his belt. "I've seen and heard them all. I know what you care about and that's not us."  
  
Cole tried to protest for it seemed too terrible even for her, but then he thought back of what he had witnessed and kept quiet.  
  
"That's it," Phoebe snapped angrily then. "You say you wanna save me; then I become your prisoner. You're no better than Reggie. At least, he doesn't pretend to be a good guy."  
  
Paul ignored her.  
  
"Turner, better get a rope. The lady here might need some encouragement to accept our hospitality… and frankly I need some rest."  
  
Cole hesitated at length, but Paul glared at him and Cole shrugged before going to the horse.  
  
When he came back with the rope, Phoebe mocked:  
  
"Hey cowboy, watching wasn't good enough for ya? You think if I'm bound and naked, it'll be easier to dip your dick…"  
  
It took Cole all he had not to knock her down again.  
  
Seeing Cole's growing anger, Paul intervened:  
  
"You know… the girl has half a point. I can't trust you two to keep quiet as long as she's like that."  
  
Cole watched Paul going to his horse with a serious urge to beat the crap out of him. Yet, when Paul came back with pants and a shirt, he was actually relieved. He still eyeballed his companion, but kept his comment to himself. Paul wasn't paying him any attention anyway.  
  
"Put that on," he told Phoebe instead, while ostensibly fingering the gun at his belt.  
  
Phoebe let the clothes drop at her feet while she protested again.  
  
"What? You're gonna kill me if I don't get dressed? The both of you are quite the pair…hum I wonder…"  
  
Where Cole had hesitated, Paul didn't. He slapped her hard across the face.  
  
"Get dressed, I said. I'm grumpy and in no mood for your antics, babe."  
  
Cole took one step toward Paul, and then hesitated only a moment.  
  
"Don't touch her again," he finally uttered firmly.  
  
Phoebe was wiping her mouth angrily while she eyed Paul.  
  
Neither one seemed to pay any attention to Cole's comment. Instead, they went on staring at each other. She sensed danger emanating from Paul and decided that this wasn't worth it. "You bastard," Phoebe still barked before she picked up the clothes anyway.  
  
She glanced back at Cole while dropping the blanket.  
  
"Hey, you were a little late to be the knight but… here's your reward anyway…"  
  
He winced and looked away, while she put the clothes on slowly.  
  
"Don't be shy, lover; it's nothing you haven't seen before," she sneered, "more than once…"  
  
He still didn't look back and she shrugged as she finished dressing. She had to tie the belt with a knot, as it, and the pants were much too large for her, in the same fashion as she had with Cole's clothes not that long ago, she remembered.  
  
As soon as she was done, Paul tied her wrists behind her back and this time she didn't resist, although she still promised herself to try escaping later. All the while, she observed Cole, wondering why she was so angry with him. Maybe it was the fact that deep down, she kept some hope that he would be different from the others. Yet, he was treating her just as badly as many other men would. Why did it still annoy her? She had no forthcoming answer however, and he wasn't helping in the least, as he avoided her eyes completely and allowed Paul to escort her deeper in the crevasse. There, he forced her down, tying her ankles as well, and then turned around.  
  
"So that's my sleeping arrangement?" Phoebe called to him angrily. "Remind me not to recommend this establishment," Phoebe still protested, albeit mildly. The rope only reminded her painfully of Carl's treatment of her. However, she soon stopped her protest, for in spite of her anger and frustration, deep down she knew they were doing it in part for what they thought was her safety. Besides, and no matter her harsh affirmations of earlier, she didn't believe for one moment that Cole would molest her or let Paul do it.  
  
Outside, the storm was still raging and the sounds gave her a chill. Once again, she glanced toward Cole, not knowing exactly why but seeking something from him nevertheless. However, this one still avoided looking at her and instead went toward the entrance to take his watch. Meanwhile Paul believed that he could get some rest at last and, sitting up against the rocky wall, he pulled his hat over his face and fell asleep almost immediately.  
  
Phoebe finally shrugged and lied down herself, realizing how tired she was. She closed her eyes but the cold had her shivering. After a moment, she felt something covering her shoulders and when she looked up, she saw Cole stepping back, seemingly in a hurry to get away from her. Phoebe watched him with mixed feelings as he was taking his post back at the entrance. Warmth was coursing through her now that had little to do with the blanket and she went to sleep still wondering about it… 


	6. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 6)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter VI  
  
  
  
Reggie and his acolytes had barely reached the destroyed camp before the storm hit. He still had time to see the devastation with his own eyes. This was at least a first step in quieting the little voice of doubt that had been whispering in the back of his mind… and brought him there in the first place. He still wondered how two grown men could have been surprised and killed so easily, and by such relatively shy animals… However, the signs were all there and eloquent… The storm quickly gathering strength forced them to take shelter, although they still moved away from the already smelly corpse of the mule. After they settled down, he and his men watched the sandstorm rage all that night. It ended up covering everything that had been visible only hours earlier. By the morning, they found that all trace of the camp lay buried under the sand. Reggie still ordered the men to survey the surrounding desert, even if he had very little hope to find anything. Not anymore…  
  
When he finally decided to give up on the pointless search, they headed back toward their own camp, while wondering about the possible damage. Indeed, when they got there, the place had half disappeared, but the guard they'd left behind was already working at digging up their stuff. When he saw his companions coming however, he became very nervous.  
  
Reggie felt this right away and he looked curiously around while dismounting. At first, he didn't see what was wrong, but when his man began talking, the truth struck him. This long before the embarrass guard had managed to voice it.  
  
"You lost her?" Reggie exclaimed angrily.  
  
The young man, who went by the nickname of Sly, couldn't look directly at his boss.  
  
"I don't how why she did it. This is so stupid…in the middle of the storm… half-naked… and she did not even try to get to the horse. I…"  
  
"Enough excuses," Reggie cut him sharply. "You weren't watching her!"  
  
In less than two seconds, Reggie had pulled a nasty looking knife from his boot and was pressing it against Sly's throat.  
  
"I should just gut you right now. You're no use to me…"  
  
The young men's eyes darted about, going from Lenny to the other accomplice, as if he hoped that they could stop Reggie. However, he knew better and finally pleaded with the man himself.  
  
"Please Reggie…I didn't mean for this to happen… besides, where's she gonna go? She's probably dead already…"  
  
"And you'd know that how? You've got no idea how much of a survivor this bitch is…She won't let a sandstorm kill her."  
  
Lenny decided to try intervening at this point.  
  
"You know, maybe the sandstorm didn't get her… but, really how much of a survivor can she be? We're in the middle of the desert. Just like Sly said, she has no horse, no food and no water…no one is coming to look for her and she obviously can't come back to us…"  
  
"I don't care," Reggie said then, although he relaxed the pressure on the knife slightly. "That slut could still find a way to cause me trouble…"  
  
He surveyed the empty desert while thinking. None of the others spoke, but Sly swallowed hard, not making a move to get away. He knew too well that if he tried, Reggie wouldn't hesitate to finish him. Their leader was relatively fair, but he could not stand weakness. In addition, he wasn't called the Slick for nothing. Reggie tried and mostly succeeded in surrounding himself with the best. Because of this, no one had ever come close to catch him. However, all of them knew that were they to fail him, there wouldn't be a single place in this world where they could safely run because he was also relentless in his vengeance. They would have to watch their back for the rest of their life and sometimes, they wondered if even death was enough of a safe haven from his wrath. Therefore, Sly stood there, trembling but hiding it as best he could, until Reggie finally took the knife completely away. Even then, Sly didn't breathe easier, waiting for what might come next.  
  
Reggie was in fact reflecting that Phoebe had almost done him in…He had let himself go soft because of a strange weakness for the girl. Because of this, she had come close to fool him and possibly deliver him to the bastards that had been following them. Of that, he was utterly convinced by then. Had they not arrived early at the shack, they might not have found out about her accomplices until it was too late. One of his men had even paid with his life in the process, although Carl didn't seem like such a big loss to him. In fact, he had been contemplating getting rid of him for a while already. The man had been unstable and a pain in his side for as long as he had known him. This didn't keep him from berating himself for not killing Phoebe the month before; this after he had figured out she was planning to betray him. This weakness, he had finally managed to put aside, particularly after seeing the repeated evidences of her deviousness. Besides, even if those men were dead, this didn't mean that was she to survive, she wouldn't try to come after him with someone else. Phoebe knew too much about his gang and had become a liability.  
  
The only thing that was still a mystery to him was why she had run at all. He was certain that she had believed herself safe the night before. Nevertheless, it was now becoming obvious that she had fooled him again, which made him even angrier. He couldn't help the suspicions about her accomplices' demise to come back to him as well, which prompted his next words.  
  
"We're going to look for her, and find her, dead or alive…And if she's alive, the bitch will wish that she died in that storm, you better believe it," he added angrily for no one in particular. "And while we're at it, let's put a little more effort in finding out what really happened to those guys… As for you," he told Sly, who recoiled under the irate expression, "I have better find her…"  
  
Sly did not need him to finish the threat. He knew that his life hung in the balance. As he followed the others toward the horses, he found that he had wet his pants out of abject fear. He swore to himself that if he got to her first, he would take pleasure in torturing her for shaming him like this. Then, he would deliver whatever was left of her to Reggie.  
  
Lenny was already on his horse, but when he turned to Reggie, he noticed him pulling his gun out of his holster, and then deliberately aiming it at Sly. Lenny wasn't much of a humanitarian, but Sly was a kid he had brought to the band. He figured that the boy deserved a second chance and put the horse between him and Reggie.  
  
"Hey, we need all the manpower we've got if you want to find her," he said loud enough for only Reggie to hear.  
  
This one frowned angrily, but didn't make any threatening move toward Lenny. Instead, he put the gun back in its holster, but still added:  
  
"I'll let him live for now… but he better learn to take it like a man. I can't have a boy who pees himself in my band, Lenny. I need men beside me… And if I don't find her," he finished the threat he had started for Sly, only this time for his right arm's benefit, "then it won't matter, because he won't live long enough to become one…"  
  
"If we don't find her, I'll shoot him myself, Reggie," Lenny replied sincerely. It still gave him an even stronger motivation to find the girl; and even more to make her pay for the trouble she caused.  
  
As soon as he was back on his horse, Reggie instructed his men as to what he expected of them, causing them to smile cruelly. Then, he each assigned them a different direction. He and Zach, the other man in this outfit, would head separately toward the desert, while he sent Lenny and Sly toward the small mountain range that lay nearby…  
  
Cole heard a faint scream… He opened his eyes with a start, and realized that he had fallen asleep with a pang of guilt. He looked out of the cave and was relieved to see that the sandstorm had died down. However seeing the sun up in the sky gave him a renewed remorse. He remembered the scream, but only assumed that it had been part of a dream. He had concerns that were more pressing. They had all been exhausted the night before, but sleeping on his watch was still unforgivable on his part. McKail was going to have a fit if the gangsters had lifted camp and left already. Speaking of the devil, Cole turned toward his companion to find him still asleep in the same position against the rocky wall. However, what almost gave him a heart attack was when he saw the ropes laying on the ground and then found no trace of Phoebe. In a panic, he went toward the back of the cave, hoping that she was still inside and only out of sight. However, he soon had to admit that she was nowhere to be found.  
  
"She's gone," Cole uttered sharply for Paul before running back toward the entrance and out. Paul heard the exclamation in a daze, and it took him a few seconds to wake up completely. By the time he looked up, Cole was already rushing out, but only one glance at the ropes told him all there was to know.  
  
"Son of a bitch," he exclaimed angrily, while turning toward where they had left the horses. Of course, Phoebe had taken one of those. He raged as much against her as against Cole for letting her go, and even more for stupidly running after her without thinking. Nevertheless now wasn't the time to dwell on this, as he headed toward the remaining horse. He tightened the saddle and climbed on it quickly.  
  
"That bitch is really starting to get on my nerves," he grumbled while kicking the horse and directing it toward the entrance. Unlike Cole however, he was wary of a possible search party. Thus, once outside, he cautiously followed his partner's tracks. He didn't have far to go before finding both Phoebe and Cole, along with an uninvited guest.  
  
Earlier, Phoebe had awakened to the sudden silence after the storm, or she imagined it was what raised her. She immediately noticed that Cole dozed off and decided that now was her chance. Contorting her body like one of the circus people that she used to enjoy watching, she managed to bring her bound wrists in front of her and she pulled hard on the rope with her teeth. She found that fortunately for her, McKail was not too good with knots because in less than a minute, she was undoing her ankles as well.  
  
She then cautiously went to one of the horses, speaking softly to the animal to keep him quiet. Very slowly, she walked the horse out of the cave, and found that the sun was already up.  
  
She was bare feet, but it was not the first time that she rode like this. She gave one last look toward the cave, longing for something, but unsure of what it was. Then, she shrugged the malaise away and quickly climbed on the horse. The cave resided deep into a gorge, and she surmised that Paul had chosen this not only to give them more protection from the storm, but also because he had surely reasoned that Reggie wouldn't believe her stupid enough to corner herself. On the contrary, this one would have assumed that she either went further up the mountain, trying to go across, or hit the desert as soon as the storm ended. She hoped that his gamble worked, as she began making her way out of there. Unlike what Paul surmised of her intentions, she wanted back in Reggie's good graces, yes, but not at the cost of Cole, or even Paul's life.  
  
Phoebe did not make it very far, however. Only about three hundred feet from the cave's entrance and almost out of the gorge, she found herself face to face with Sly. She let out an involuntary scream of fright, while the man scowled at her before pulling his gun and aiming it straight at her head.  
  
"Get off the horse," he uttered deliberately.  
  
Phoebe looked around for somewhere to run, but by then, she was not quite in the open and, since Sly was blocking the path, her only option was to retreat the way she came. She knew that she would be riddled with bullets long before she had reached cover.  
  
Shaking all over, she dismounted while trying to reason with the man.  
  
"Come on, Sly. I was just coming back. You know how it is…I needed to get away for a while, nothing more…"  
  
"Oh yeah right, you felt the need for a sand bath. Heck," he added with a vicious smile, as he dismounted cautiously in turn, "maybe you get your kicks out of getting hurt…Well, let me give you some more of that right now."  
  
Phoebe's tremors intensified, as she thought desperately of the two men she left behind, who had no idea that she was in mortal danger. It also made her angry with them even if deep down, she knew that it was her damn fault.  
  
"Reggie's gonna get mad at you if you hurt me, Sly. You know how he is when you touch something that belongs to him," she tried again.  
  
"Reggie only asked us to bring him back a nipple and your head, as proof of your death. He said he'd keep the nipple as a souvenir…ain't that sweet," Sly sneered. He started deliberately walking toward her, still training the gun on her all the while.  
  
"What he didn't say, but I assumed… was whether you had to be dead already, or if we could finish the job. I'm so glad the storm didn't get you, babe…" He pursued intensely.  
  
By now, Phoebe knew that Cole and Paul had been right. Although, she still wondered if it was because Reggie thought she ran. Still, the time for recriminations had passed. She took a few steps back and stopped when the horse blocked her way. Thinking fast, she tried to get on it again, telling herself that come what may, it was better to die from a bullet than let Sly have his way with her. However, Sly saw her move and ran toward her. Grabbing her leg before she could get away, he pulled her hard toward the ground and Phoebe lied there in a daze. Soon, Sly had the gun stuck in her mouth while he looked curiously at her.  
  
"Hey, you wouldn't be trying to take my fun away? I much prefer hearing your screams while I cut you into pieces." Suddenly, he seemed to realize something however,  
  
"Where did you get the outfit… and the horse? I found your stuff buried under the sand…" He looked up somewhat anxiously, wondering now if she was truly alone. However, nobody seemed about and besides, he was already relishing the moments to come. "Ah, never mind," he dismissed, "Reggie said that you were resourceful… but trust me on this; you've hit the bottom of your bag of tricks…"  
  
He pushed the gun even deeper inside her mouth then, making her gag. Her eyes were wide open with fear, and she couldn't even scream for help. Phoebe also knew that by the time Cole and Paul did hear her screams of pain, it might just be too late. Her only consolation was that they would most probably kill him, if only to protect themselves, if not because of her.  
  
The crazy look on Sly's face told her that no amount of reasoning would change the outcome either. She reflected that Reggie must have been very harsh on him for losing her. Sly probably resented her even more because of this, as she could read pure hatred in his eyes.  
  
She still tried to fight him, again preferring to die quickly rather than endure the torture he promised…but instead, he slapped her hard, dazing her again. As she came to, she found that to keep her under control, he had brought her arms along her sides and then pinned her down between his legs, while leaving the gun in her mouth. Next, he used his other hand to pull a knife from his belt. Without wait, he slipped the knife under the first button of her shirt and tore it off quickly. Before he could get to the next one however, a shadow crossed over them and Sly realized that someone was standing beside them. He looked up in surprise, although he mostly expected it to be Lenny. Before he had time to understand his mistake, a strong fist connected with his jaw, sending him flying backward. In doing so, he lost his grip on the gun. Phoebe stared at Cole, who gave her a short glance before going after Sly with a vengeance. In his eyes, she had seen rage and fear at the same time, and she couldn't help thinking that he had feared for her even as she pulled the gun out of her mouth and tried aiming it at her attacker. By then however, Cole had picked him up and stood between her and Sly. What's more, she knew that a gunshot would be heard from a great distance. Even if she wanted to help him, she realized that it would only bring more enemies toward them. Therefore, she watched the battle unfold anxiously, still ready to intervene if it took a turn for the worst.  
  
Cole managed to hit Sly a few times, before this one remembered about the knife still in his hand. He thrust it forward and the knife cut a deep gash on Cole's side, eliciting a scream of pain from him. Cole didn't let it deter him however, as he clutched the man's wrist and twisted it, while pummelling him with his other fist, soon forcing Sly to let go of the knife. Sly, seeing that he was losing the battle kicked Cole hard in the kneecap. Cole lost his balance from the hit, but he fell on the man as they went on struggling on the ground, rolling back and forth while hitting each other repeatedly.  
  
Phoebe could only watch helplessly, worried about the outcome. Suddenly, Sly's hand found the knife again, and he brought it back quickly toward Cole. Phoebe held her breath, as Cole barely managed to stop him by grabbing his arm; and then the knife halted mere inches from his throat. They struggled some more with the knife, and in a last ditch effort, Cole managed to turn it toward Sly. The weapon entered the man's chest deeply. Sly opened wide eyes in apparent shock at this. Blood soon began oozing from his mouth, while he became limp in Cole's grasp. This one watched the man falling back in horror, only then realizing that he had just killed a man. He let go at once of the man and the knife, and then looked at his bloodied hands, as if wondering whether they actually belonged to him.  
  
Behind Phoebe, Paul dismounted, and then put down the gun he had aimed at the combatants until now. Then, without giving her a chance to react, he grabbed the gun that Phoebe was still holding before he walked slowly toward Cole and Sly's inanimate form. He stood back for a moment, somehow understanding what Cole was going through. Nevertheless, time was of the essence and he knew it.  
  
"Are you ok, man? Can you get up?"  
  
Cole barely acknowledged him, still looking from his hands to the dead man in consternation. After a moment though, he nodded weakly and slowly stood up.  
  
Paul saw the gash on his side with a hint of worry.  
  
"Hey, you're hurt. Want me to get a look at it?"  
  
Cole made a dismissive gesture, barely feeling the pain at this point. He turned around, and walked away very stiffly. When he passed Phoebe, she tried:  
  
"Thanks…" However, she stopped at the devastated look on his face.  
  
"Save it," he growled, while continuing toward one of the horses. There, he picked up the flask and tried to drink some of the water. However, his throat was constricted and he almost choked on it.  
  
Paul knew that the next part would be even harder on him considering, but if they wanted to survive, he had to shake him out of this. He walked quickly toward Cole while calling to him.  
  
"Hey, if you can walk, that means you can help me. We gotta erase all trace of what happened here."  
  
Cole turned to him reluctantly, and then without answering, he glanced at the body again, with nausea washing over him. He swallowed hard before looking back at Paul.  
  
"Why? He's dead, isn't he?" Cole finally said.  
  
"Before long, they'll come looking for him. We gotta hurry because we don't know how long we've got…"  
  
During all this time, and at the exception of the harsh comment Cole served her, neither men paid any attention to Phoebe. It was as if she didn't exist all of a sudden. Yet, she was certain that Paul would have kept her from leaving, had she fancied to... However, at this point she also understood that there was no going back. At first, she simply stood there, watching them burying the body deep in the sand. Then, she began to help them masking all but the tracks of one horse coming in and going back out of the small gorge, including all traces of blood. When they were done, Phoebe followed them out of there and into the open, as Paul signalled that no one was about. All the while, she still felt ignored, even while helping them. A strange hurt invaded her, even though she didn't know exactly why…  
  
After going further down the rocky formation, while still taking care of leaving only Sly horse's tracks visible, Paul found a way up the range and turned to Cole and Phoebe.  
  
"You go up this trail; I'll be along soon."  
  
Cole gave him a puzzled look.  
  
"Where the hell do you think you're going?"  
  
"I have to make sure they'll follow a different route. I'm not convinced that we fooled them yet. Watch your backs," he added before turning the horse and riding away.  
  
Cole watched him uncertainly for a moment, and then, after shaking his head, he got off his own horse and began pulling it up the narrow path. Phoebe took a moment longer, even more unsure about Paul's intentions. However, his argument seemed reasonable, so she followed Cole without making any comments.  
  
Lenny was slowly coming back, having been as far as he thought possible for someone on foot to reach. In fact, he didn't really believe that she had taken this route at all. This part of the range was composed of sheer cliffs with no possible way up, which would have seemed the most logical move was she to try escaping across the mountains. He had noticed a few accessible spots the way Sly had gone, and was now hoping that the boy had more luck as he neared the first gorge. Indeed, he could see that a horse had gone inside the gorge. He also noticed that the rider had come back out and gone on further. Giving one last look down the gorge, he turned to follow the tracks.  
  
Phoebe and Cole climbed for over an hour before finding themselves on relatively flat terrain. Cole halted his advance there.  
  
"We'll wait here…"  
  
"That's not what he said…" Phoebe protested.  
  
Cole turned an irritated look at her.  
  
He didn't say either way…and besides, since when do you care anything what any of us say?"  
  
"You got a point there," Phoebe replied while still sitting on a boulder nearby and looking out toward the desert. "Well, let's just say I choose to do it now…" she pursued without a glance his way.  
  
"How convenient… Should I say thank you?"  
  
Phoebe sneered but didn't answer. She sensed more than saw him shrugging before he went to sit by the trail, obviously watching for Paul.  
  
They stayed in these positions silently for a long time, to the point where Phoebe became annoyed at this situation. It was pretty obvious to her that Cole was pissed, and even if she did not think that she owed him an apology, she had had enough of the silent treatment. Until now, all she could find in the desert was the sand as far as her eyes could see, and she was also getting tired of this fruitless occupation. However, she didn't have the first clue as to what to say that would put him in a more receptive mood. In the end, she even resolved to try apologizing anyway, if it could stop this shunning.  
  
She glanced back toward Cole, and then made her move. Phoebe stood from her observing post and headed for the nearest horse. Opening the saddlebag, she found what she was looking for as she pulled an old shirt that she proceeded to tear into bands of cloth. Cole cast an annoyed look her way and then soon resumed his watch. This told Phoebe that cracking him wouldn't be so easy. Without letting it discourage her, Phoebe picked up a flask of water hanging from the saddle and headed toward him.  
  
Cole had noticed her activities, and even more her coming toward him, but he made no move to acknowledge her, not even when she sat by his side.  
  
"Hey, cowboy, want me to look at this thing," Phoebe asked then, while indicating the large bloodstain that soiled his torn shirt.  
  
"Leave it alone," Cole answered gruffly after a moment.  
  
Phoebe frowned unhappily, but instead of leaving, she said impatiently:  
  
"Hey, I don't care one way or the other; but if you get a fever because of it, I won't help carrying you… and I wouldn't count on McKail to help you either…"  
  
Cole shrugged and glanced at her irritably, but he still let her lift his shirt and get a look at the wound.  
  
As she began cleaning the ugly gash on his side, she tried to talk to him.  
  
"I huh… I wanted to thank you for saving me…"  
  
Cole grunted, and then replied without facing her.  
  
"Don't flatter yourself, babe. I was only thinking of McKail's warning about you."  
  
Phoebe's mouth twitched irritably as she rubbed the wound harder.  
  
"Hey, watch it," Cole said, as he sprung back slightly from the sting.  
  
"Gotta make sure it's clean," Phoebe replied without flinching, as she continued her work with hardly a pause.  
  
Cole bit his lips as much from irritation as to refrain from exclaiming again.  
  
"Well, anyway," Phoebe pursued, "no matter why, you still saved me…so… thanks…"  
  
Cole stayed silent, bracing himself as she began bandaging the wound. The touch of her hands on his skin was troubling him more than he cared to admit. He was afraid that she would see it in his face if he looked at her. Her attitude confused him. Why did she seem to care now? Was there something interested in her actions? The stirring that her touch had caused him until then slowly died away as the doubts invaded him again.  
  
Phoebe had sensed the obvious constriction of his muscles, but she couldn't be certain whether he was reacting to her or the discomfort. At any rate, she understood that he wouldn't tell her, even if she questioned him about it.  
  
His sudden question startled her.  
  
"Why did you do it? Why did you run?"  
  
Phoebe sensed anger and suspicion in his voice.  
  
"You know why…"  
  
Cole exhaled deeply, and then finally turned to her.  
  
"I don't understand…how could you put money before people's lives? Or even your own, for that matter?"  
  
"I didn't…" Phoebe began but she stopped herself…  
  
"Believe what you want, after all. It's not like I care what you think all that much anyway!"  
  
Cole thought that he detected some hurt, but in the whole, she was hiding it well. He still asked. "Don't you?"  
  
Phoebe shrugged while turning her eyes toward the trail, avoiding his now.  
  
"It's you who don't understand…"  
  
"I'd sure like to… Why couldn't you trust us?"  
  
"I never trusted anyone and I'm not gonna start now. I lead my life as I please and that's that."  
  
Cole frowned while watching her intensely. He only wished he could read her mind right now. Maybe then, some things would start making sense.  
  
"I still don't get it. No amount of money can be worth losing your life over."  
  
"It's not about the money," Phoebe let out almost without thinking.  
  
"Then what," Cole asked impatiently… When she didn't answer, an unpleasant thought crossed his mind.  
  
"Was that him? Were you running back to him?"  
  
Without a word, Phoebe grabbed the unused bandages and stood up abruptly. She was already on her way, when he called back to her.  
  
"Why won't you answer me? Is that it?"  
  
Phoebe stopped, took a deep breath and turned to him with irritation in her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I enjoy so much being humiliated and hurt by my lovers…"  
  
"From where I stood, it looked like you enjoyed it!"  
  
Cole couldn't believe he had said that. However, instead of the hurt look he expected, Phoebe turned a wicked smile toward him before moving away. Only then did he realize what it had sounded like with a sinking feeling. He most certainly had not intended to give her power over him…He mentally slapped himself for his stupidity, but most of all he wondered if this truly meant that he was jealous. He so believed that he had resolved the issue the night before… and even more so now that she had betrayed them. "Or had she," he couldn't help questioning at this point.  
  
However, what had happened made it difficult for him to give her excuses. Even though, he knew that her leaving had been his fault as well, he still couldn't risk putting his trust in her… Not with in mind the terrible memory of what she had caused him to do. The sight of his victim's eyes glassing over as he watched was still haunting him. It didn't really matter at this point that the man had been a monster. It was enough for Cole that he had been the one who robbed him of his life with his own hands. He had tried to wipe these, but even if no trace of the blood remained, he believed that he would never be cleansed. Trying to distract himself from the unpleasant thoughts, he resumed his watch for Paul's return. This brought another sort of musing to him. Cole wondered how Paul did it, as he was convinced that this man had killed, and more than once. Not that he wanted to repeat the experience ever. On the contrary… However, he only wished that he knew how to live with himself from now on and he wasn't certain that he would ever. The only positive effect of this musing was that it put his blunder with Phoebe in perspective, allowing him to brush it aside, or so he thought until he turned to find her back at her observation spot. Phoebe seemed to be ignoring him, and it annoyed him more than if she had been mocking him, he realized. Even as he watched, she suddenly bent further toward the edge, as if she saw something. Curious, he stood up to go to her but stopped short at the sound of pebbles rolling down the rocky slope.  
  
Expecting Paul to appear around the bend in the trail, he didn't bother to pull his revolver out of the holster and started back. Then, he practically jumped out of his skin at hearing a single gunshot echoing throughout the mountains…  
  
Around the bend, Lenny halted and observed the bend in the trail curiously, while pulling his gun and letting go of the horses' reins. He was about to move forward when the loud sound of a gunshot had him looking up in surprise. Then, he seemed to hesitate between going further up the trail and investigating this new disturbance… 


	7. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 7)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter VII  
  
  
  
Phoebe had just spotted two distinctive points on the horizon. They were still far away, but she knew it had to be two more members of the gang looking for her. As far as she could see, they were coming back slowly, possibly scrutinizing the sands for any sign of her passage. Instinctively, she moved closer to the edge, trying to get a better view even though it was pointless… Then the gunshot breaking the heavy silence almost threw her off balance, it had been so sudden. Holding her breath, she turned toward the trail and to Cole, seeing then that this one was up and glancing around as if he expected an attack Slowly, even as she stood up to go to him, she exhaled and tried to slow down her racing heart. However, right then the agonizing neighing of a horse reached their ears and this disturbing sound was soon followed by a second gunshot. By the time she was beside Cole, the neighing had long died off, but Phoebe could still feel it reverberating through every fibre of her being. Cole glanced at her, and she could read the same unease in his eyes. He then turned toward the trail slowly. Phoebe was about to call to him, but a sudden instinct stopped her. Instead, she grabbed his forearm and imperatively indicated to keep silent. Cole frowned irritably but something in her expression froze the words of protest he had been about to utter. Then the distinctive sound of pebbles tossed on the rocky path caught his attention again. The strange thing was that instead of growing closer, the sound seemed to be fainter than before. It didn't seem to make any sense had it been Paul. This, with Phoebe's apparent worry, caused a renewed unease to course through him, as he cautiously advanced toward the bend. Phoebe followed him a few paces behind, her heart still racing but for a different reason now. Cole peeked carefully at the trail and then suddenly retreated, telling Phoebe that she had been right on the mark.  
  
He motioned uselessly for her to keep still, while he risked another peek. Cole only managed to get one more good look at the man; but that was enough for him to realize how unbelievably lucky they had been. This was obviously one of Reggie's men, and he had come way too close to finding them… At the same time, he wondered if it had been luck alone. Who fired the gun that clearly stopped their pursuer? The answer seemed quite obvious to him, and it didn't bode well for their companion. And there was also the matter of the almost unbearable neighing. Not knowing what Phoebe had seen earlier, he reflected that they may very well have lost Paul to Reggie, and then the lucky break didn't seem so fortunate anymore.  
  
Phoebe's hand on his shoulder startled him, but at the same time, he found it reassuring. For a moment there, he had felt very alone and vulnerable. He still resented her for her treacherous flight of earlier, but at the same time, he sensed that Phoebe was on his side. Cole knew that it was probably irrational on his part, but at that very moment, he was content with this impression. They both stayed quiet for a long moment, fearing to alert the would-be intruder, since any sound could still carry to him. Then, when he was certain that the man had gone far enough, Cole finally questioned Phoebe.  
  
"What did you see?"  
  
Phoebe still cast a worried look toward the trail before she answered.  
  
"Enough to tell me that we shouldn't dwell here… They were already on their way back but all this noise's gonna bring them here faster."  
  
Phoebe was already turning toward the horses, but Cole called back to her.  
  
"Hey, we're not leaving just yet. What about McKail?"  
  
Irritably, Phoebe looked back at him.  
  
"Hey, I'm wondering about the guy too, but that doesn't mean we should stay here and wait to be caught. What good is it gonna do him…? And besides I don't think Reggie did anything to him...."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"There are only three of them left now… we just saw one coming toward us and I spotted the other two in the desert just before the gunshots. Whatever else happened didn't involve them."  
  
"So you're saying that he fired his gun for no reason? And how does that explain the horse?"  
  
"Look Turner, I like to theorize as much as the next girl, but why don't we do it after we've put some distance between them and us?"  
  
Cole watched her curiously before answering.  
  
"I thought you wanted back with them…"  
  
"Let's just say I got the feeling they don't want me back and leave it at that," Phoebe replied curtly, obviously upset at his comment. When she saw that he was about to add something, she pursued.  
  
"Besides cowboy, you may say what you want, but if I hadn't left the cave when I did, Sly might have surprised us and then where would we be? Now stop procrastinating and let's go. If McKail's alive, he's gonna find us…"  
  
Cole was about to protest further about her motivations, but as she turned her back to him again, he had a sudden unpleasant revelation about his own feelings. If he still resented her for her assumed betrayal, seeing her moving away also reminded him of what had truly hurt him, back in the cave. When he had found her gone, Cole's first thought had been that she'd abandoned him. It had been a disturbing idea, but most of all a foolish one that he had tried to forget about until now.  
  
Even if her arguments were logical enough, he still couldn't help thinking that she was also ready to abandon Paul for the sake of her own safety. She only reinforced this impression with her next words as she took the reins of the first horse.  
  
"Hey, if you wanna stay here and commit suicide, it's fine with me. But I'm not waiting for Reggie to find me."  
  
To illustrate her point, she went on her way without waiting. This shook Cole out of his indecision and he went to the second horse, albeit not without one last glance toward where the gunshots had seemed to come from.  
  
Paul looked down into the chasm with a dejected expression. It was too deep and dark for him to see much of anything. A short way from him laid a large wolf that he had just shot dead. Earlier, this one and another had appeared unexpectedly in front of him. At first, Paul had only stepped back slowly, wary of using his weapon. However the wolves had started advancing on him and his horse and soon pounced in the direction of the mount. Paul had drawn his revolver and shot once in the air, startling the wolves, but also augmenting the horse's terror. This one had reared off and then lost its footing near the very chasm Paul was now staring at. The horse had plunged in with a loud neighing of fright while Paul could only watch helplessly. However, once back from their surprise, the wolves had come back towards him and he had no choice but to shoot one of them while the other ran.  
  
Quitting his useless staring, he reflected that this disturbance must for sure have alerted the gangsters by now. This negated his going back down the precarious trail he had found after leaving Cole and Phoebe. His hope had been to lead the band in the wrong direction by leaving an obvious trail, and then go back to rejoin with the others. Now however, if he didn't hurry, the band would get to him too soon. As he continued his climb up, he had torn a piece out of the blanket Phoebe had been wrapped in when they took her away from the camp. Then, he had dropped it on the path, stuck on some sharp edged rock. On the bright side, they were now certain to come this way and investigate this thoroughly. Nevertheless, this left him with only two options: he could continue on the trail and hope that they wouldn't reach him, or that they would stop here thinking that it was where the chase ended… or he could make his way off the trail and toward where he'd left his companions. The latter seemed the most likely to save him from the gangsters, although he knew that this would be a difficult trek. Having made his decision, he immediately moved off the trail and began making his painstaking way through the uneven terrain.  
  
Earlier, Lenny had followed the tracks to the first trail up the mountain and found that they went on along the range but with a notable difference. Up till the first trail, he had gotten the impression that someone was trying to hide their tracks, whereas, after the trail, it didn't seem to be the case anymore. That's what had prompted him to investigate the first trail, convinced as he was that Sly might have neglected to notice the apparent attempt at dissimulation. Only the gunshot and the horse neighing had given him doubts about his assumption. Phoebe didn't have a gun or a horse, so it had to be Sly's doing. Because of this, he concluded that Sly must have found her and shot her, even though that still didn't explain the agonizing cry. He remained hopeful that they would be done with this stupid chase and back to business in no time as he made his way down the slope. By the time he returned on the flat, he met with Reggie and Zach, who had obviously heard the gunshots as well.  
  
"What was that," Reggie immediately questioned his right hand man.  
  
"I haven't the faintest. I think it came from further down the range. I was on my way to check it out."  
  
"And what about this one…?" Reggie questioned again, indicating the trail Lenny had just left.  
  
"I didn't find anything there…"  
  
Reggie nodded uncertainly but the three of them soon moved off, following the horse's tracks.  
  
Cole and Phoebe walked slowly up the trail because it had become more treacherous as they went until they found themselves almost at the top. There, Phoebe stopped and surveyed the surroundings. Then a satisfied smile spread over her lips. Without a word, she made a beeline toward a rock formation and disappeared inside before Cole could question her about it.  
  
Perplexed, he followed her there and found a quasi cave among the rocks. Phoebe was already opening the saddlebags and pulling some rations out of it. She also took a long sip of water from the flask before sitting up.  
  
"So," Cole commented at last, "I'm guessing we're waiting here?"  
  
Phoebe gave him an annoyed glance before replying.  
  
"What? Wasn't it what you wanted in the first place?"  
  
"It was…" he trailed.  
  
"It's better here than in the open, as you suggested," Phoebe continued offhandedly.  
  
Cole couldn't help feeling she was treating him like a child.  
  
"You know, I may not have much experience in the desert… but that doesn't make me an idiot," he commented with obvious irritation.  
  
Phoebe had the urge to push him a little more but decided against it. She reflected that alienating him further wasn't worth it, even if it would have been amusing.  
  
Besides, the danger was far from behind them and she saw the advantage in staying on good terms with him. At least, in her mind that was the rationalization that she made… "I say, we lay low in here for a while and then move on even if McKail doesn't show up…I'm sorry if that sounded cold," She added quickly when she saw him about to protest, "he'd do the same in our position Turner, I assure you."  
  
  
  
Rather than answering, Cole nodded grudgingly and went to his own horse, getting some meat as well. The food was hard to swallow, not only for its rubbery texture, but mostly because he was still tense. Turning back toward Phoebe, he was amazed at how little she seemed affected. If he had not seen the look of fear in her eyes earlier, he might have believed her emotionless. Phoebe was becoming more of a puzzle to him as time went by. So cold and efficient one moment and yet, so obviously vulnerable the next… At this point, he doubted that he would ever understand her, no matter how much he wished he could. Unwilling to dwell on this then, he went to stand by the entrance instead, heeding her warning about Reggie.  
  
If Phoebe showed him a good face, Cole was wrong in assuming that she wasn't affected by what happened. In fact, the last few days had shaken her self-confidence more than she was willing to admit. It was strange to her because the past, adversity had only strengthened her resolve. Yet, this time, she found herself weak and much more than this, yearning for comfort from another. A disturbing realization came to her then when she admitted to herself that it was Cole she wanted it from and no other. "Was that it," she wondered, as she watched him near the entrance. "Am I letting myself go soft because of some weird feeling?" Phoebe frowned angrily at her line of thoughts. If that truly was the reason, then she should try her best to quash this strange emotion. Yet, she couldn't help the urge to go to him and bury her face in his chest. She wanted to feel his strong arms around her, reassuring, not just wanting like other men. Phoebe knew however that she was deluding herself. All he wanted from her was her body, not her. Like they all did. This at least, she knew he wanted. His outburst of earlier had only confirmed what she knew all along. Cole wanted to possess her, just as much as Reggie did. In a way, this was also reassuring and safe. That's how she knew men and also, she told herself, how I should think of him. There was no place in her life for emotions. Pleasure however, might actually bring back the balance in her… or so that's how she reasoned her next move.  
  
Phoebe got up, already unbuttoning her shirt as she walked toward him. She realized on some level that she was setting him up to prove her point, but her confused needs had become too insistent and she wanted to see this through, in the hope that maybe she could put this behind her afterward.  
  
As she approached him, Phoebe was certain that he knew when she saw him tensing noticeably. Yet, he didn't look back or say anything. When she began caressing his back, he tensed even more, although he stubbornly kept staring ahead.  
  
"I don't know what you think you're doing, babe, but it's not gonna work…"  
  
"And what exactly do you think I'm doing," Phoebe asked softly while letting her hand slide toward his lower back slowly.  
  
By the time he spoke again, her fingers were within his belt and moving around his waist suggestively. Huskily, he replied.  
  
"Stop it." Yet, he didn't make a move to stop her when she reached his belt buckle and started undoing it. She was leaning against his back and an intense urge to turn around came to him, one that he had to fight with all he had. When she begun pushing down on his pants, he reacted at last. Grabbing her wrists forcefully, he pushed her off and moved away.  
  
"You must really think of me as an imbecile," he exclaimed suddenly, startling her.  
  
"Why would you say that? I know you want me." In saying so, she was eyeing his midsection somewhat mockingly, and he knew that his desire was very much obvious.  
  
"It really doesn't matter," he still pursued, "If you think that I'll fall for your tricks again, you got another one coming."  
  
"Oh," she said innocently, "and what trick might that be?"  
  
As she talked, she walked toward him again, and was amused to see him take a step back. He had to stop against the rocky wall, and in spite of his resolve, he couldn't stop staring at her sumptuous breasts, which she was arching toward him temptingly.  
  
"I'm starting to see a pattern in your actions, babe," Cole managed to say; "I won't let you do that to me again," he added, closing his eyes, and trying his best to repress his desire. She didn't give him a chance however, as he felt her hand grabbing his loins and the other one coming behind his neck, pulling his face toward hers. Her hard nipples were brushing against his chest, exciting him more even, and he wanted so much to take her now, to forget about everything else and give in to his ever growing urge. Instead, he grabbed her wrists and again pushed her away forcefully.  
  
"Have you no shame," he questioned through his now ragged breath, while avoiding her eyes.  
  
"Oh you're so stubborn," Phoebe said with a pout. "We both want it…why resist?"  
  
Cole kept silent, afraid that even talking might hinder his resolve. His need for her was almost painful now and he refused stubbornly to even look at her. He had the sinking feeling that giving in to her would make him even more of a pawn in her hands. However, no matter how hard he tried not to want her, it was already almost overwhelming.  
  
"Well," Phoebe said then, "maybe I could make things easier for you…"  
  
As soon as she had said this, he heard a ruffling sound and then a piece of clothing was thrown in his face. He grabbed the shirt and took it away from his face. Then, he glanced back at Phoebe, who was already pulling her pants down shamelessly. He stood there in fascination, even as she threw these at his feet.  
  
"That's right," she uttered then, staring back at him, "I should've remembered you liked to watch." Even as she said this, she began trailing her fingers between her breasts, and then down her belly suggestively while he became afraid of losing control completely.  
  
"What kind of a woman are you?" He hoarsely said while trying his best to look away again.  
  
"I'm a real one…I know what I want and I go for it, unlike the little dolls you used to know, I'm sure." She waited a moment longer, certain of her effect on him, and then she pursued:  
  
"Now baby, maybe you feel the need to take your revenge and leave me here naked, it's your choice. I guess it'd be fair game… But of course, we could also have some fun. You know what fun is, don't you?"  
  
When he didn't answer this, Phoebe began to get angry, feeling oddly self- conscious all of a sudden.  
  
"Maybe, that's not the problem…Should I turn around? Maybe it wasn't me you were watching the other day. From behind, I might look like what you really want…"  
  
Cole didn't know what set him off the most, whether it was the desire or the rage, but in that instant, all the reasons he had not to take her flew away. Almost growling, he went to her and grabbed her buttocks, lifting her and then pinning her against the rocky wall.  
  
"You slut, you'll get what you've got coming to you," he said then, only pulling his pants low enough to free himself. Then he lowered her on him, angrily entering her, while her legs snaked around his waist of their own accord. For a short instant, Phoebe was alarmed by the force of his reaction. She had goaded him into this and wondered if she had not gone too far. Nevertheless, she soon let herself enjoy his passion as she groaned from contentment. This only excited him more, as he grabbed her hips roughly and pushed himself deeper inside her, dizzy with the release… and yet…oddly disgusted with himself.  
  
Phoebe had wanted this, or she tried very hard to convince herself that it was what she had needed. Even as she felt a wave of pleasure already irradiating from her loins, she also wondered why it wasn't as fulfilling as she had hoped for. Still, she encouraged him to go on.  
  
"Yeah, that's it, stud. Now, that's what I expected from you," she said between short intakes of breath.  
  
Until that moment, he had only known that her soft skin was now his to touch and kiss; that she was his to possess and the pleasure he felt was very real. However those words acted like a cold shower and he suddenly stopped, looking up at her tense face with an expression akin to remorse. At first, Phoebe didn't realize what was happening, still caught in the moment. However, the sudden change told her that something was wrong as she opened her eyes and took in the pained expression in his; along with the frown that made him look so suddenly vulnerable. Instinctively, she brought her hands to his face, tracing the frown questioningly with her fingers.  
  
"What?" She asked uncertainly.  
  
Even now that he was deeply inside her, she sensed that he was pulling away somehow and the malaise deepened along with a sense of loss like she'd never experienced in her life.  
  
"What," she repeated anxiously when he wouldn't answer.  
  
"I'm sorry," he uttered, as he lifted her off of him and delicately undid her legs from around him.  
  
"Sorry for what," she then asked almost angrily as she stood before him, "Sorry for doing what we both wanted? How stupid is that," she added while grabbing him to keep him from moving away.  
  
"You're not backing out now…"  
  
"I don't want to," he said hoarsely, still feeling the need just as strong as before, "but…"  
  
"But what," Phoebe exclaimed.  
  
"This…this isn't enough for me," he trailed.  
  
"What? Are you trying to say that I'm not good enough for you?"  
  
The words were obviously uttered in anger, yet Cole sensed pain and disappointment in them and it hurt him too.  
  
"No! You're…oh god Phoebe; I want you so much, it's painful. But I don't wanna hurt you. I don't believe that's what you really want…I don't want you to see me as another Reggie, only in it for a piece of ass. Or like that monster who harmed you," he continued while staring uneasily at the red mark on her breast. "I swear; you're already so important to me…"  
  
Even as he talked, he realized that it was true. As unlikely as it may have seemed until now, and in spite of his doubts about her character, he knew that he was falling for this woman. Throughout this speech, she stood there, as if frozen in place. Even if he was unsure of her reaction, he couldn't help admiring her while he tried to repress the urge to take her again. She was so small and delicate in appearance, yet so strong inside. Maybe it was this combination that had captured him so completely, although of this he couldn't be certain. What he did know was that he wanted her still.  
  
In a way, he also realized that he was exposing himself much more than when he had stood before her, naked and helpless in the desert… and that now her silence was becoming almost unbearable.  
  
"Please say something…anything…"  
  
Phoebe was flabbergasted. Many men had tried this trick with her to get in her pants, but never after they got what they sought. He seemed so sincere, and yet, what did she know of a feeling so strong.  
  
"You've got a way of making simple things complicated," she whispered almost inaudibly.  
  
Cole closed his eyes, trying to quash the feeling of anger born out of disappointment. He had opened his heart to her and all she had to say was that it was a mistake. Her lips brushing against his startled him then.  
  
"But I guess that complicated can also feel really good," she uttered softly before pressing her lips harder against his. He hesitated only a moment before he responded. Even as his soft tongue explored her mouth hungrily, Phoebe felt his arm encircling her, pulling her to him as his arousal was obvious against her belly. However, it was not the physical desire that made her feel whole then. It was the fact that for the first time in her life, she wanted to give her soul to a man and the sensation intoxicated her. The shirt against her breasts felt like an unbearable barrier, between him and her, as was the rest of his clothing, which she wanted to get rid of quickly as she began struggling to undo it. She needed to feel his bare skin against hers, to feel the warmth of him around her. She knew that he felt the same when he hurriedly took his boots off, and then his pants with her help. He then sighed deeply of contentment when their bodies melted into one another and he captured her lips again. His hands slowly moved down toward her thighs, lingering on her buttocks, which he caressed softly. Then he lifted her again, and while his mouth never let go of hers, he brought her toward the center of the cave before delicately laying her down. He straddled her but made no move to enter her, even as she arched herself against him and she felt the intense need of having him inside her again. When his lips left hers, she opened her eyes curiously to find him staring softly at her with his deep blue eyes. A vague smile was floating on his lips and again, she wasn't certain of what he was thinking anymore.  
  
"What's the hold up, cowboy?" She asked huskily, without a trace of the mocking tone that she usually reserved him.  
  
"Everything's up, baby," he said, obviously amused as he began kissing her face over softly. "I just wanna savour every moment… and…"  
  
Cole stopped and suddenly became serious.  
  
"What," Phoebe said while caressing his chest, just enjoying the feel of her fingers through the thick hair. Cole kissed her softly on the lips before answering.  
  
"I'd like to make you forget the pain. You deserve more than being a possession, Phoebe," he whispered against her mouth before his lips moved slowly down toward her neck. "So much more," he said again. Then, his tongue began tracing little circles, as if tasting her inch by inch. Phoebe had never felt so wanted in her life and yet, he showed something more, something that was totally stranger to her: respect. Slowly, his mouth followed the mark left by the monster, kissing it all the way to her breast as if he could swallow the pain that she had felt, and at this moment, she truly felt he had. Forgotten were all those horrors. Or even the meaningless encounters, which she knew had never given her the sensations that coursed through her now.  
  
Her hands moved from his chest toward his belly where she let her fingers feel the hardness of his arousal. Her slightest touch had him growling softly as he took her breast in his mouth and caressed it with his soft lips while his tongue traced her hard nipple, eliciting a little cry from her as well. All the while, his hand had been caressing her hips lazily, but then they moved toward her thighs and soon she felt him pushing them apart, all the while never stopping the caresses. When he reached her loins, his probing fingers sent the first wave of pleasure through her almost immediately, but it wasn't to be the last. Impatient now, she grabbed his buttocks and pulled him to her, wanting him more than she'd ever wanted a man before. She arched herself, searching for him, demanding and he finally gave in, entering her slowly, agonizingly enjoying the feel of her while letting go of her breast to simply look at her beautiful face. Her eyes were closed tight and she was biting her lips harder for every move he made. Cole enjoyed her pleasure even more than his. He cupped her breasts again, while moving up to her mouth, which he brushed with his. His tongue traced her already parting lips, tasting again the sweetness of her. He felt her impatience again as her lips became alive against his. Soon she was inviting him deeper in her mouth, even as they reached another height.  
  
As this wave of pleasure receded, almost immediately followed by the next, she wondered how she could have ever thought that an orgasm was the end of it all. Instead, for each one she felt, she knew that she had only scratched the surface of ecstasy, carried away as she was by his insatiable desire. For hours they forgot all about Reggie and his band… and even Paul, with his uncertain fate, only existing for one another; oblivious of the rudimentary setting that composed their surroundings  
  
The sun was coming down when Phoebe sat back, straddling him this time while he smiled sleepily with his hand resting on her voluptuous hips. Even the memory of the pleasure she gave him was enough to stir him, no matter how exhausted he was.  
  
"So lover," Phoebe uttered softly, while she stroked his chest slowly. "Do you have any regrets," she teased gently.  
  
As he gazed at her, he replied:  
  
"You know, I was afraid that you would enslave me if I gave in…"  
  
"And now," she questioned.  
  
"I'd gladly don the shackles and throw away the key…"  
  
Smiling, she got up and went to the saddlebags, eliciting a groan of disappointment from him.  
  
"Hey, where are you going, master?"  
  
Still smiling, she turned to him with the blanket she had just pulled out of the pack.  
  
"Let it not be said that I have been a cruel master, forcing you to sleep on the cold rock."  
  
Cole almost laughed at this, as she stretched the blanket beside him and then pushed him face down on it.  
  
"You know," he uttered half seriously, "turning my back on you has been hazardous to my health before…"  
  
"Hey," Phoebe exclaimed while grabbing his balls in an uncomfortable pinch.  
  
"Now baby," he uttered a little nervously, "you're making my point for me."  
  
Turning his head toward her just enough to see her face, he pursued.  
  
"You don't intend to take a trophy now, do you?"  
  
Phoebe smiled wickedly, as her grip tightened slightly, making him jump.  
  
"Nah," she said at last. "I like them fine where they are. Your mistress decrees that as long as you pleasure her like this, your family jewels are safe with her."  
  
She finally relaxed her hold; transforming it into a caress.  
  
"Thank you master," he said, now amused, "you're too magnanimous and I'll do my best…"  
  
"Yeah," she uttered as she leaned against him, now massaging his buttocks softly.  
  
"How did you do that?"  
  
"What," Cole asked in puzzlement.  
  
"Making me feel better about myself than I ever have…"  
  
Cole frowned curiously.  
  
"Strange…"  
  
"What is?"  
  
"I was thinking the same thing," he said with a sigh of contentment.  
  
"Phoebe, I don't want this to end…"  
  
"Shhhhh," she uttered suddenly, and he detected some alarm in her voice as she stopped massaging him. "Please, let's not talk about the future, alright…"  
  
He tried to turn toward her but she pushed him back while resuming her massage on his shoulder blade this time.  
  
"Why not?" He finally asked.  
  
"Just that it's been perfect…let's not spoil it…"  
  
"Why would it spoil it?"  
  
"Please Cole, don't…"  
  
In spite of the unpleasant fear of loss that crept inside him, he couldn't help a little smile then.  
  
Phoebe frowned at this, wondering what was so funny.  
  
"I thought you weren't happy about that…"  
  
"I'd lie if I told you that I like this, but…"  
  
"What," she asked again, as she lay on his back and rested her face against his cheek.  
  
"You said my name…I was starting to think that you forgot…"  
  
"What? You don't like pet names?" Phoebe mocked mischievously, while she was thankful that he wasn't insisting about the rest.  
  
"Well," he said, "stud is not so bad…I just like to hear you say my name…" He hid the malaise that came from her reticence the best he could, deciding to set it aside for now, as it would only put a damper on his new found happiness. If at first, he had truly feared to give himself to her, the fact that it had indeed made him vulnerable to her no longer mattered. Cole knew that she probably could have him do whatever she wanted now, but instead of being worried about it, he understood that he might just do it, and gladly at that. For the time being, his only desire was to be with her for as long as possible and almost at any cost.  
  
"Cole," she whispered huskily against his cheek and any remaining concerns vanished right then.  
  
Paul had lied in wait a ways from the trail for almost an hour before Reggie and his men showed up. His first move had been to rejoin with Cole and Phoebe right away, but as he was walking, he reflected that he could always meet with them later, as they would surely follow Reggie just as he was. Right now, his priority was to keep an eye on the gang. After Phoebe's disgrace, she wasn't really of much use to him anymore, although he knew that in time he could use Cole's help to watch his back, or so he hoped. When Reggie finally showed up, he retreated quickly behind a large boulder and listened in. They were a good distance from him, but some of what they said still carried to him.  
  
"You sure that was hers," Reggie was questioning his acolyte now.  
  
"Well, it sure looked like it… Unless we're being played here, it's obvious that she tried to cross the mountain this way."  
  
Lenny was glancing around curiously as he was standing up from his closer look at the dead wolf.  
  
"Now about that…What do you think?"  
  
Reggie didn't answer and instead moved toward the chasm. The waning light didn't help in the least to distinguish what was at the bottom. However, his attention was caught by a shiny object that reflected the light of the sun a few feet inside the chasm.  
  
He went back to his horse and pulled a long pick that was tied to the saddle. With it, he managed to grab the object and brought it toward him carefully. He found that it was a razor half opened.  
  
Even from the distance, Paul thought that he recognized the very same razor that had given them Phoebe's location a few days back with a certain amazement. Apparently, Sly had swiped it from his boss and now it might actually convince them of Sly's fate without involving Paul or Cole. If they didn't decide to go get a closer look, of course.  
  
"So, I'm guessing that the little creep got what he deserved after all. Too damn bad he had to bring the horse down with him," Reggie added, noticing a clump of horse hair stuck on the edge of the chasm, which only confirmed what the cry had already told them about the horse's fate.  
  
"What about the slut," Zach intervened then, earning himself a dirty look from Reggie.  
  
Zach took a step back, realizing that he had overstepped his bounds.  
  
Reggie stared at him a moment longer, and then he turned toward the other side of the range pensively.  
  
"We'll look for her that way. Let's get down from here and start the search again in the morning. I wanna give it some time. There is nothing for at least a hundred miles that way. If we find any trace of her passage there, we'll know that she won't survive…"  
  
After they finally left, Paul knew what he had to do to ensure that they would soon get back on their way toward the gold. However, he intended to use the cover of night to put his plan into action, and until then, he would at least give a try in finding his companions. Things were looking up… 


	8. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 8)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter VIII  
  
  
  
Paul was beginning to think they had vanished into thin air as he climbed the trail he had reached a while ago. When he got at the top, he almost went on, but something told him to look a little closer at the surroundings. Cautiously, he went to the cave that Cole and Phoebe had found earlier and the spectacle they made had him frown unhappily. They hadn't lost any time, he was thinking to himself, as he walked slowly toward them. At this point, Cole and Phoebe were both asleep in each other's arms and had not bothered to cover themselves. He guessed that the body heat had been more than enough to keep them warm he thought with a slight hint of envy. "She's truly remarkably pretty," he couldn't help thinking before he cleared his throat loudly.  
  
His first try didn't get him any result, short of a slight movement on Cole's part. Coming closer, he practically barked in his ears:  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Cole almost jumped out of his skin, barely realizing that he was in fact naked at this point. On the other hand, he quickly thought of Phoebe's undressed state and eyed the newcomer unhappily as he brought the blanket over her. Only then did he speak, while Phoebe stirred at last.  
  
"Well, took you long enough," Cole uttered uneasily.  
  
"Hum, from where I stand, it doesn't seem like you missed me much…You know that if I'd been Reggie, you'd both be roasting on a stick by now. Maybe, he'd have her for supper…"  
  
Cole couldn't help noticing the stare Paul was giving Phoebe and it irritated him even more. He was about to serve him a well felt comment about it, but Phoebe beat him to it with a wry remark.  
  
"So McKail, I'm guessing that you haven't had a chance to dip it too much lately…?"  
  
The comment actually made both men uneasy, and Paul kept his eyes on her, mostly to prove that she didn't bother him.  
  
"Always the sweetheart, aren't we? Why don't I give you time to put a pair of… before I fill you in…not literally," Paul added with a smirk before he went out of the cave.  
  
Cole turned unhappily toward Phoebe.  
  
"Do you really have to be so blunt?"  
  
"Hey baby, I may like to be with you, but I still can defend myself, thank you. Besides, you didn't seem to find my bluntness so unpleasant until now," she added, as she pushed the blanket away and stood up to lean against him. "Now did you," she purred.  
  
"Hum," he simply uttered, already feeling the need for her that only Paul's presence outside the cave prevented him from acting upon. He still wrapped his arms around her; simply pleased to feel her there. For a while, before he had let himself drift to sleep out of sheer exhaustion, Cole had feared that she wouldn't be there when he woke up.  
  
Phoebe obviously had an inkling about that because she looked up with a teasing smile and said:  
  
"Hey…by the way, if you'd held me any tighter earlier, I'd have choked…I'm not going anywhere…at least for now," she added belatedly, reawakening his feeling of unease.  
  
Cole wanted to question her about her feelings. He knew that was selfish, but the simple thought of not being with her was almost unbearable. Before he could however, she stopped him by gently pressing her fingers against his lips.  
  
"Please baby, let's just enjoy what we have now…"  
  
She saw the frown forming and wished that she could reassure him. However, there was no way she could make any long term plans; no matter how much she truly wished it was possible. There was too much that he didn't know, and even more that stood between them. For a short instant, she almost regretted giving in to those emotions, as it would have been so much simpler otherwise.  
  
"Phoebe," he still tried, but she closed the gap between them and her lips came to replace her fingers, silencing him with a languorous kiss. "Please, Cole," she whispered afterward, "don't spoil it…"  
  
He nodded half-heartedly and let her go with even more reluctance, wishing they were alone again.  
  
When Paul came back, he found them clothed, but he also thought that Cole seemed sullen. Paul didn't ask about it right away, but he promised himself to see if he could use this to his advantage later. The fact that Phoebe and Cole had grown so close, so fast, made him uncomfortable. Paul knew that Phoebe didn't trust him… and much more than this, that he couldn't trust her at all. He also was aware that the next couple of days would be perilous for all of them; and if he couldn't count on either one, it would only make things worse.  
  
"So," Cole interrupted his train of thought, "what happened?"  
  
Paul summarized for them what had happened on the trail, and then told them of his plan.  
  
"Hum, and you really think Reggie is gonna fall for it?" Phoebe questioned dubiously.  
  
"I'm sure that one more push in the right direction will be enough. He's already half convinced as it is…"  
  
"He didn't look like the gullible sort to me," Cole intervened.  
  
"The circumstances are on our side. Trust me on this, in a few hours we'll be back on track and all the closer to find the gold…"  
  
"Hope you're right…meanwhile, it still leaves the little detail of how you're gonna get around them and back without leaving a trail…"  
  
"Leave that to me…We've done ok so far. I'm sure our luck's gonna hold." Paul replied confidently. "It's already dark, so it's time for me to go. Good thing I tore more than one piece of that fabric and kept it with me…once again, it should send them on a false trail…"  
  
Paul immediately got up to leave.  
  
"What's to keep you from leaving us behind?" Phoebe questioned suspiciously.  
  
Cole glanced curiously at her. He had not even considered this possibility.  
  
"Don't worry your pretty little head, Halliwell…even if I didn't think that I'm gonna need some help on this trek… I'd still prefer to keep my eyes on you than leave you behind to stab me in the back. Besides I'm leaving the horses with you… so I'll be back for them…"  
  
Phoebe sneered, but neither she nor Cole added anything more before Paul went out into the night. However, after he was gone, Cole turned to Phoebe.  
  
"Won't he risk breaking his neck in the dark like this," Cole questioned absently. By then, his main concern was Paul's suspicion of her, but he wasn't ready to confront her directly about it.  
  
"He'll be fine…I wouldn't be surprised if he could see in the dark like a cat." Then she grimaced irritably. "He's just as treacherous as they are too…"  
  
"I'm guessing you're not a cat person?" Cole tried to joke.  
  
Phoebe answered very seriously this time.  
  
"I'm not an anything person, Cole. I trust only myself," she declared.  
  
She realized too late how it had sounded and the hurt on his face told her that she might have been too blunt this time.  
  
"Sorry, I meant…"  
  
"Don't bother; I know what you meant…I guess that you only relied on yourself for most of your life… so it's understandable…"  
  
"Cole…"  
  
Cole gathered her in his arms then, and pursued quickly:  
  
"But you don't have to anymore. I'll help you with whatever it is that you wanna do."  
  
"Maybe it's time for me to tell you exactly what that is," Phoebe said then.  
  
"Yeah," Cole trailed, suddenly unsure.  
  
Phoebe saw his uncertain attitude… but she hoped that it would help with what she had to say next. Mostly, she hoped that he was truthful when he said he'd do anything for her. She had to admit that his arms around her felt reassuring. She really wished that she didn't have to risk alienating him…yet, her goal was way too important for her not to risk it.  
  
"Cole," she said again, while caressing his chest softly, "I know that you won't like what I've got to say, but trust me on this…if I didn't believe that I was right, I wouldn't say it…"  
  
"What are you talking about," he questioned while looking directly at her with a frown.  
  
"It's about McKail…"  
  
"What about him?" Cole questioned again pointedly while the frown deepened.  
  
Phoebe understood that she would have to be very convincing.  
  
"Look, there are things you don't know about me and about McKail…"  
  
"That's an understatement," Cole said, very circumspectly.  
  
Phoebe pulled away from him and went to sit on the blanket still stretched on the cave floor. Then she indicated a spot beside her, inviting him to join her. However, Cole stood back this time, watching her with obvious wariness. Phoebe grimaced, apparently uncertain before she finally spoke again.  
  
"I might've left some things out of our conversations…but that's because I didn't know what you truly were or wanted. I still don't…" she said while looking up questioningly.  
  
"I told you," Cole replied although with a hint of hesitation, "I came here for the gold…but things have changed slightly…"  
  
"They have?" She seemed surprised.  
  
"Yes, they have," Cole affirmed then. "I…it doesn't seem so important anymore…"  
  
"I'm so glad to hear that," Phoebe exclaimed, actually astounding Cole.  
  
"What? I thought that everything you did was for the gold as well… wasn't it?"  
  
"There's more to it than that…"  
  
This time, Cole came to sit by her, obviously intrigued.  
  
"Then by all means, enlighten me…"  
  
"How can I be sure that I can trust you?"  
  
Without hesitation, he grabbed her and kissed her deeply, with as much passion as he had showed earlier. When his lips left hers, she was slightly out of breath.  
  
"Because you matter a lot more to me than any gold…"  
  
She smiled uneasily, again wishing that things were simpler.  
  
"Alright, I believe you… Well, you've got to know that McKail is really a Wells Fargo's hired man. He's at the head of a group of men who have been protecting the company's holdings for quite a while…"  
  
"So in short, he's a law man? How is that supposed to make him untrustworthy?"  
  
Phoebe stared at him curiously then. She had already surmised that he wasn't an outlaw per say. Still, his primary goal had presumably been to steal the gold from Reggie, or so she had assumed. Now, she wasn't too certain anymore…  
  
"Well, yeah…but that doesn't make him a choir boy…far from. See, a while back, I was scrounging again for a living in a brothel…well you know that already," she added when she saw his displeased expression. Yet, this time he didn't comment.  
  
"Ok, so during that time, I came into contact with Reggie… and when he was rumoured to be frequenting the place, McKail and his men got wind of it…They were never able to see him, but one of the girls who didn't care enough about her health talked…"  
  
"What could Reggie do to her?"  
  
"You mean what he did," Phoebe replied darkly… "When they found her, let's just say that her pussy had been enlarged considerably. I always thought afterward that Reggie sent Carl after her. Both her breasts had been bitten savagely by human teeth… and then he cut her from front to back while she was still alive, Cole… She bled to death like this in the desert near Prescott…"  
  
Cole's stomach twisted in his abdomen from utter disgust. He thought he would throw up at the horrible image.  
  
"Oh my god…" Then he turned to her incredulously.  
  
"How could you risk going with them knowing that?"  
  
"I had strong motivations, Cole. I told you, I don't wanna owe anything to anyone, and I wanna make something of my life…so, when McKail came to me, he had a suggestion that could satisfy my need for retaliation and give me a chance to be independent at last."  
  
"I don't understand…if you're not after the money…"  
  
"I'm after the reward…and the promise that they will never come after me again."  
  
"Didn't you pay for whatever crime you committed?"  
  
  
  
Phoebe chuckled unhappily.  
  
"Do you really think that it would stop a guy like McKail? If I hadn't helped him, they would've thrown me back in jail on some pretext and then…I could never have…"  
  
There she stopped short and looked away.  
  
"What is it," Cole questioned her as she kept silent  
  
"I don't think you'd understand," Phoebe replied reluctantly.  
  
"I want to…in fact I need to, Phoebe. If you want my help, I need you to tell me everything…"  
  
Paul saw the signs of their camp when he was halfway down the slope. He hurried toward the desert floor; took off his boots and picked up a large dry twig before making his way around their camp and deeper into the desert. He walked for almost thirty minutes, zigzagging as if he had been unsure of his direction. There, he found a small rock mound with a few sharp edges. He put one of the blanket's pieces there, and even scratched the wound he'd inflicted on himself back at their camp to smear the rock and blanket with fresh blood. Then, he went on walking for another long distance, throwing himself heavily in the sand a few times, as if from exhaustion, leaving smears of blood there as well. Only when he was certain that Reggie would be absolutely convinced of her flight did he finally turn around, thankful to be able to don his boots again as his feet felt raw. Cautiously, he made a beeline while dragging the twig behind him and finally made his way back toward the mountain. All the while, he worried some more about what Phoebe might be planning to do. He resolved to keep a close eye on his companions from now on…  
  
"A baby?" Cole exclaimed loudly. Phoebe had talked at length, but right now this was all he retained.  
  
"You have a baby?" He still asked.  
  
"Yeah, why? That surprises you?"  
  
"Well yeah…I…I've got to admit, I didn't see you as a mom…"  
  
"I didn't plan on it," Phoebe replied with a certain irritation. "So I guess that makes me even more of a bad apple in your eyes…all the more tainted goods…"  
  
Cole was startled by her cynical tone of voice.  
  
"No! I mean, I was just surprised, that's all. It doesn't change anything about the way I feel…"  
  
"Really," Phoebe questioned dubiously.  
  
"I swear…in fact, I think I understand now. Although I still don't know what your problem with McKail is…"  
  
"Don't you see? I have nothing of interest for McKail now…in fact, I'm certain that once this is all over, he'll throw me back in jail along with Reggie…and you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Cole, you sprung me out of jail…that makes you an outlaw…"  
  
Cole stood up and started pacing the cave while trying to put order to his thoughts. Phoebe observed him in silence, knowing that he had to make up his mind on his own. Therefore, she waited anxiously.  
  
Cole had always believed that there was more to her than she was letting on. However this wasn't what he had expected. He went back over her tale, examining it from all angles while still pacing nervously. Apparently, sometime in the last six months, she had met up with Reggie and hit if off with him before she really knew who he was. He had made her a few promises then, but Phoebe had not been too keen on those, while still leading him on. That part of the tale had him very uncomfortable, as a matter of fact, but he still pursued his musings further.  
  
A short while before McKail had come to her, Phoebe had received distressing news from her cousin Piper, who had been keeping her baby girl for her. According to Phoebe, Piper and her husband Leo were very religious people, who had taken the baby when Phoebe gave birth in jail. Afterward, they had agreed to keep her until Phoebe could put her life together. In the end, however, they had come to see this baby as a shame to their own family. A baby born of a very shady creature and with no known father…the letter she received announced to Phoebe that they were planning to give her baby up for adoption. Phoebe had pleaded with her cousin through a reply. She'd asked her to be patient and told her that she'd be getting her daughter back soon. That's when McKail had come to her and suggested that if she could help him nail Reggie the Slick, he would give her the reward and never go after her again. She would have a clean slate… Phoebe even told Cole that at the time, she had been torn between Reggie and McKail's offers. That was another dark point for her, but her apparently honest revelation gave some credit to her story. In the end, she'd told him, Phoebe had seen the advantage of freedom, rather than being stuck in a gang, which she could probably never leave and that most certainly would never accept her daughter… This had weighed heavily in her choice when she had agreed to help McKail. At the time it had seemed simple enough. Paul had even given her some info about the next transport of gold, but with the specific instruction to wait until only part of the full amount was left. From there, Paul was supposed to follow at a distance and eventually get to the hideout. Reggie hadn't seen things her way however. That was how she had ended up on that cliff near Prescott; and eventually, been arrested for the theft on the Wells Fargo coach.  
  
Of course, she had said, McKail didn't trust her anymore, but he still believed that she could be of use, keeping her under constant surveillance just in case Reggie showed up again. By now, Cole knew that he had been the one showing up instead, which in turn had made him a part of this crazy adventure. However, Cole was now having some doubts about her story. It was all so convenient. He couldn't help worrying that she was playing him again, although he didn't know what good it would do her. Suddenly he turned back to her.  
  
"That's all nice and good, but again what does it have to do with what's happening now and McKail?"  
  
Phoebe took a deep breath before answering.  
  
"Cole…first I need to know where you stand. I need to know if you're gonna play me once we have the money or if you're with me on this."  
  
Cole's jaw dropped at this. It was the world upside down. Now she was questioning his loyalty.  
  
"Hey, I said I was on your side!"  
  
"You have to admit that five hundred thousand dollars in gold are tempting…even for you…" She hesitated at length, but he didn't speak, although his expression was a mask of rightful outrage.  
  
"Although," she then ventured, "I got the feeling that you weren't without means…"  
  
This actually seemed to startle him.  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"Reggie found a big amount of cash in your pack…I don't know many people who have that kind of money. At first, I thought that maybe this wasn't your first coup, as unlikely as it may have seemed, but…"  
  
"You don't believe I could do that?"  
  
"Frankly, not anymore…"  
  
Cole didn't know if he should be flattered or insulted. In doubts he chose neither.  
  
"All right, you got me there. I do have some money to my name…"  
  
"Now then, why in the hell are you here?"  
  
"I thought you understood…I had something to prove and this seemed the best way to do it."  
  
"Sounds rather foolish to me…"  
  
"More than you risking your life to prove that you can be a good mother…? Or you refusing help from anyone?"  
  
"Well see," Phoebe answered with irritation, "I'm proving you wrong right now, because I'm asking for your help…I can't do it alone and I can't trust McKail anymore…"  
  
Cole came back to sit by her with an unhappy expression.  
  
"Is that the only reason you asked me? Because you can't trust him…?"  
  
Phoebe couldn't look at him right away. This was a tricky question to answer. In truth, she did ask him because she knew he was most certainly the one she could trust above anyone else. Yet, what she was about to propose might change all of this…She had come to understand that he was a decent man, full of noble sentiments. Nobility had little place in her plan. It came to her that maybe a little incentive was in order. What's more, it didn't hurt that she would like it as much as he would…  
  
Instead of answering him, she cuddled closer, knowing the effect she had on him. Indeed, he almost forgot what he'd asked her when she put her hand on his thigh and began caressing him.  
  
"You don't believe that I'd think you second best, now do you," she purred, while her hand moved up to his loins and he couldn't help a little groan.  
  
Hoarsely, he said:  
  
"Phoebe, giving me a hard on won't stop me from asking…I won't follow you blindly," he barely managed, as her grip tightened deliciously on him.  
  
Smiling mischievously then, she found the opening in his shirt and started depositing light kisses on his chest while still massaging his loins. The sensations were making him dizzy but he tried his best to keep his mind on the subject at hand.  
  
"Phoebe," he began in a voice that sounded much higher pitched than decisive to him.  
  
"Look, you need to tell me about McKail…" He had to say it in one breath, because she'd already opened his pants and now had her hands firmly on his shaft.  
  
"Well, baby," she said between kisses, "I need you to help me ditch him in the desert…"  
  
"What?" Cole pulled away from her, for fear that if he let her continue, he might actually agree to anything she said. "You can't be serious!"  
  
"Oh come on baby, you must've known what I had in mind…deep down…"  
  
"Phoebe, that's what you did to me! Don't believe I'm gonna help you do that to someone else."  
  
"You and he are worth each other. No guts!"  
  
"What? You asked him to do that to me?"  
  
This time, he actually became angry, which helped numb the lingering arousal.  
  
"Now, you're saying that you wanted to ditch me again? And there, I thought we had something." He said, while getting up, oblivious to his pants almost falling off his hips.  
  
"Stop it," Phoebe said, alarmed. She regretted her slip tremendously, but he had bugged the heck out of her. "Look, I didn't mean it like that. I wanted to protect you…"  
  
"By dropping me in the middle of nowhere with probably not much more than you left me the last time…"  
  
"Cole…Please you've got to listen to me. I was afraid you didn't have what it takes and…"  
  
"And what," He growled, not in any way softened by her plea.  
  
"And I believed that I might not be able to go through with it if you were around."  
  
"What?" He felt the anger receding inside him, replaced by indecision. Sighing heavily, he looked back at her.  
  
"Phoebe you confuse the hell out of me, you know that?"  
  
Phoebe bit her lips uncertainly. Then, she pursued:  
  
"Ok, will you let me tell you what I intend to do. Then, if you say that you don't wanna do it…I'll accept it." The last part was said with such reluctance, he knew that it had been hard for her to get out.  
  
"You better have a good reason, Phoebe…A very good one. And I'm not gonna be part of causing him harm in any way…"  
  
"He's just gonna get a little suntan, that's all. We won't drop him too far from a town. Besides he's a big boy and can take care of himself…"  
  
"Talk," Cole said curtly.  
  
Paul had finally arrived back at the mountain. He was getting really tired and hoped that the other two were not reserving him some bad surprises. However, he reflected that whatever Phoebe's intentions were, she would wait a little longer to put them into action. This would give him time to figure her out. Confidently, he resumed his climb.  
  
When she stopped talking, Cole felt the need to sit down.  
  
"Whoa…that's very risky, Phoebe…"  
  
"I know…and if you think that you can't do it…"  
  
"I haven't said that," he replied quickly as he came to sit by her side. "I'm just a little uncomfortable with the part about McKail…"  
  
"You mean the rest is fine with you?"  
  
"Fine with me would be an exaggeration. But hell, I came to this place to get to the money. I guess this is my chance."  
  
Phoebe gave him another suspicious look at this.  
  
"We're clear on what happens next, are we?"  
  
An amused smiled spread over his lips.  
  
"Very clear, baby…"  
  
"And you won't bail on me?"  
  
"Hey, I said I'm with you…"  
  
Phoebe smiled.  
  
"That doesn't mean I don't have a few butterflies in my stomach right now," he said again.  
  
"Oh, that, I've got the medicine for…"  
  
Cole turned toward her in puzzlement but didn't need another word to understand what she meant. In all honesty, by then, he thought that this would indeed help tremendously to calm his nerves. Phoebe had shed her shirt in the short time he had been looking away and then she moved closer, resuming her caresses of before as if there had been no intervening talk.  
  
"You're the devil, you know that," he sighed while pulling her to him and helping her taking off the rest of her clothes.  
  
"Better the devil you know…" she whispered against his mouth before parting her lips for his kisses. She then straddled him and soon she contentedly felt the length of him inside her. As she began moving on him, he caressed her neck, and then her breasts, and down to her hips. Then he moved to her buttocks, kneading them and more so helping her along while his mouth left hers and came to rest on her breasts. There he began toying with her erect nipples. By the time the first wave of pleasure shook her, as much from there as from her loins, she didn't think of plans or much of anything else.  
  
Paul came to the entrance only to find that the newly formed couple were at it again. Dejected, he sat a little ways from there, and pulled his hat down on his face. From where he stood, the gangsters would be much too busy looking for Phoebe in the desert to come looking for them now… 


	9. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 9)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter IX  
  
  
  
Cole watched Phoebe sleeping with the same unnerved feeling as before. "Have I gone completely insane?" he wondered now. "But she's so beautiful…" he mused again, as he caressed her side, and then rested his hand on her hips. She moved in her sleep, as if she'd felt his touch, while a vague smile formed on her lips. When she settled down, he reluctantly pulled the blanket over her and then quickly dressed. He was restless still, and decided to go out for a while. Maybe the morning air would clear his head. Outside, he found Paul already up and coming toward him with a metal bowl. In this, he had obviously collected some water as Cole saw a few drops escaping. Paul finally noticed Cole.  
  
"For the horses," he simply said, indicating the bowl. However, instead of going in, he put it down near the cave's entrance and turned toward Cole questioningly.  
  
"The little vixen's asleep?"  
  
"Would you refrain from this?"  
  
"From what…? The girl's not exactly a saint, Turner…"  
  
Instead of the angry reply he half expected, his comment was met with an uneasy silence. Cole was frowning uncertainly and Paul figured that now was as good a time as ever to probe into his doubts.  
  
"Let's take a walk," he told him then.  
  
Cole hesitated, looking back inside the cave first. Then, he nodded yes and they walked slowly toward the edge of the small plateau.  
  
"So…have fun?" Paul asked offhandedly.  
  
Cole still didn't answer. Instead, he glanced back at the cave uncertainly while Paul continued:  
  
"You know, she's got a way of making you believe stuff…She twisted me real good with all of her stories too … Hell, I almost pitied the sweet thing for a while."  
  
Cole was biting his lips now, still wondering.  
  
"Did she tell you about her daughter? How she'd do anything to get her back?" Paul questioned again.  
  
Right then, he knew he had hit a cord, because Cole turned to him with obvious irritation.  
  
"She told me you hated her…"  
  
"Really, she did?" Paul replied mockingly. "That's not true, you know. Once you get to know Phoebe, and how to deal with her, she's quite the little woman. Although, a man has to always watch his back around her…among other things…"  
  
"What about the baby," Cole asked, ignoring Paul's diatribe.  
  
"Well, as far as I know, she did have a baby…I never saw it of course. That story about her cousins…hum, I don't even think that she's got family."  
  
"Hum…" Cole muttered, peering over the edge.  
  
"I was wondering," Paul started again after a few seconds, "I mean a guy like you, who seems reasonably intelligent…"  
  
Cole grunted then, but let him continue.  
  
"Well, I'm surprised you've fallen for her tricks so easily…"  
  
Cole shrugged, and his lack of reaction actually puzzled Paul.  
  
"Hey, I know that she's got a sedative effect on a man's brain, but really… haven't you heard a single word I said?"  
  
"I heard every word," Cole said deliberately, while looking back at Paul with a very serious expression.  
  
  
  
Phoebe woke up and looked around in surprise. Cole's display of possessiveness the preceding night made it seem strange that he would leave her alone now. Yet, he wasn't there. Phoebe realized that it had felt good to be so wanted. His absence actually made her feel empty and cold. She picked up her clothes and finished putting them on as she went toward the entrance of the cave. There, she stopped with a short intake of breath. She frowned at seeing the two men apparently deep in talk. "What if he betrays me," she thought… She didn't want to believe that, and yet seeing them together like this, she couldn't stop the doubts from creeping inside her.  
  
Then, the doubts transformed into a burst of anger.  
  
"If you do, lover," she growled, "I'll have your balls for breakfast…"  
  
Cole seemed to sense her intense stare, because he turned toward her. After a short moment of hesitation, he gave her a smile that could have melted an iceberg. "Don't be foolish," Phoebe reflected, quickly calming down, "he'd never do that…"  
  
Feeling more secure about things, she smiled back before returning to the cave to get water and some of the rations. She was famished and smiled impishly when she remembered why…  
  
  
  
Paul followed Cole's gaze and watched Phoebe reentering the cave with renewed uneasiness.  
  
"So, if you heard what I said," he continued as if there hadn't been any interruption, "can you tell me where you stand?"  
  
Cole was still staring at the cave and the smile lingered on his lips. Paul waited this time, even though his unease deepened. He was certain that Phoebe had something planned. Even if he had sworn to her that he wouldn't try anything against her, Paul was convinced that it wouldn't have done any good. She wasn't one to trust that easily. In all honesty, he had to admit that considering the little value she had in his plans now, she was right not to trust him anyway. Paul still had a beef with her about the way she treated him. In fact, he had counted on Cole's empathy with his own desire for revenge. Now he wasn't certain of anything anymore. That is, until Cole spoke again.  
  
"I went crazy last night…" He admitted suddenly.  
  
"How's that," Paul asked warily.  
  
"You won't believe what I agreed to do in a moment of pure insanity…"  
  
Paul sensed that the tables had turned, but before he began cheering, he thought it better to play it smart.  
  
"Hum, I guess a girl like her could make you do anything if she put her mind to it…"  
  
"She asked me to help her ditch you," Cole simply said, as he turned toward Paul to take in his reaction.  
  
Even if Phoebe's plan didn't surprise Paul, he was still a little stunned at Cole's spontaneous admission.  
  
"Huh, well…am I to understand you don't…"  
  
"I've got no intention of doing that, of course…"  
  
"Good then," Paul approved, although some doubts lingered in his mind.  
  
"But see, I don't want you to take it the wrong way…You two looked rather cozy last night. I've got trouble believing that it's all forgotten already…"  
  
"I just told you. I went insane. It doesn't mean I forgot what she did to me. Hell, she even told me what she asked you to do…"  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"Apparently, she tried to get you to ditch me as well…"  
  
"Yeah true," Paul admitted, more astounded by the moment. He had believed that this would be rather tough, but now, he felt like the odds were in his favor.  
  
"Still," Paul tried, but Cole interrupted him.  
  
"The little bitch used me. All this crap was only so I'd do her bidding. How stupid am I…but I'll take care of her, you can bet your ass I will," Cole pursued, getting angrier by the moment.  
  
"So, what exactly do you have in mind?"  
  
"She's gotta know that she can't play me like this," Cole continued, apparently oblivious to Paul's question.  
  
"I can think of a few ways to get back at her myself…"  
  
This seemed to get Cole's attention.  
  
"You're a lawman aren't you? Shouldn't you be arresting her?"  
  
"Well, that is my intention eventually… but obviously I can't do that right now… and she still can be of use. Except that she's got to believe nothing's changed."  
  
Cole observed him carefully, apparently wondering where this was leading.  
  
Paul gave a sly smile to his new friend, and then turned toward the cave.  
  
"We might be able to fool Phoebe until I'm ready to bag her…Hell, you could still have some fun in the process. But of course," Paul added quickly, "that's if you think you can take it and not lose your head again."  
  
"Don't worry," Cole replied with the same smile, "if I falter, I'll only have to remind myself of her treachery."  
  
Paul was actually starting to relish this revenge, but then a thought struck him.  
  
"Hum, if you know what I am, isn't that a problem for you? I mean, I gathered that you were in this for the money at first… and obviously, I won't let you take it…"  
  
"I never cared too much about the money, to be honest. Although, I'll take the reward you were gonna give to her. That'll compensate somewhat for this fiasco."  
  
"Fine with me…"  
  
"Let me ask you something then," Cole questioned in turn, just as circumspectly. "Don't you want the reward for yourself? Or had you planned all along to keep it and bag Phoebe and me anyway?"  
  
"No," Paul replied firmly, "hardly enough, I'm a man of my word and had she given me Reggie herself, I'd have let her get the money. The same as I'll make sure it goes to you instead…"  
  
"Still," Cole began, but Paul continued talking, interrupting him.  
  
"Money's not the only thing that matters…My outfit's reputation has taken quite a beating in the last year. There's this mining company who threatened to start their own transportation business…and some of the Wells Fargo's other customers are now leaning toward that as well…It's not good for me in the long run…I've got to get this gold back at all cost."  
  
Cole watched him intently at this, as if trying to read his mind. Then, he seemed satisfied.  
  
"I guess that makes sense…"  
  
Paul thought of something else then, and he frowned uncertainly.  
  
"Won't Phoebe wonder why you're not helping her?"  
  
"Oh don't worry about that…She wanted to play it smart," Cole replied confidently, "wait until we found the hideout, and then…"  
  
"I see," Paul replied with a wince. "Like I said before…this girl is way too bright. We really need to watch each other's backs."  
  
"Count on me," Cole added intensely.  
  
"Yeah," Paul thought then, "getting better and better…" Then, he gave another look in the direction of the gangsters' camp. "Now, if they could just buy my little trick," he reflected again. He saw that they were already following the tracks and crossed his fingers that they would be fooled. However, when Cole started back toward the cave, a little voice told him not to risk leaving him alone with Phoebe just yet. After all, she had sucked him in once and he wouldn't put it past her to do it again.  
  
"Hey Cole…If you really think that she won't do anything against us now, I could use a hand here."  
  
"In doing what," Cole asked with a frown.  
  
"Oh, just to collect some of the water in a crevasse back there… and also we might need something tastier than jerky. Let me get this water to the horses first."  
  
Cole wondered what the hell he intended for them to find. There was no way they could hunt as it would've alerted Reggie and his men. However, what bugged him the most was Paul's obvious attempt at keeping him away from Phoebe, and he let Paul know that he saw through him.  
  
"Hey I told you, she won't get to me again…"  
  
Paul decided that blunt honesty was the best approach.  
  
"Alright, I'll admit, I still have a few suspicions about your sudden change of heart. But even if I was certain of your intentions, I'd still think it's better for you to keep your distance for a while…"  
  
Cole nodded reluctantly and settled to wait for Paul's return to this one's relief.  
  
Almost an hour later, Paul and Cole watched Reggie on his way back and obviously lifting camp afterward. When he saw them on their way back toward the mountain, Paul became very optimistic. He went down the path that had led him here in the first place and finally witnessed the gangsters leaving…  
  
"Oh perfect; it worked," Paul said triumphantly to Cole, who he had insisted should accompany him.  
  
"So, I'm guessing that we won't have time to eat this snake you caught," Cole uttered with obvious relief.  
  
Paul ignored his companion's unease at the idea, while joyously saying:  
  
"On the contrary… We can very much follow their tracks later. It's healthier to put some distance between them and us. Until then, we can finally eat a cooked meal and I intend to savour it before leaving. You should too. We've got no idea how long of a ride this is gonna be."  
  
Cole grimaced dejectedly before following Paul back toward the top.  
  
Once there, Paul prepared a small fire, clearly no longer worried about detection, while Phoebe observed both men with renewed suspicion.  
  
"Why is he avoiding me," she couldn't help worrying. Phoebe was getting angry again, but Cole came to her and his soft voice immediately made her feel better.  
  
"What is it, baby?"  
  
"Oh nothing," she whispered, casting a suspicious glance toward Paul, nonetheless. This one however seemed indifferent to them at this point. Satisfied, she gazed back at Cole, who was smiling.  
  
"What?" She questioned softly.  
  
"Oh, I was just thinking about last night and how I'd like to be alone with you right now…"  
  
Phoebe smiled contentedly before kissing him hungrily. She thought there was no mistaking the desire she felt in him and it reassured her some more.  
  
"Same here," she whispered against his lips.  
  
Cole wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him then.  
  
"Maybe, when this is all over we can…"  
  
"Yeah, maybe…"  
  
Cole looked down in surprise. Until now, when he had spoken of the future, Phoebe had responded with reticence. Yet, she seemed to see something more now. He tightened his hold on her with a little thrill.  
  
Paul frowned at the sight, but soon rejected the doubts. The length of time he had spent talking with Cole, while they were out getting food and water, had convinced him of his intentions. In fact, he was now certain that Cole was ready to give her a run for her money, so to speak. He seemed hell bent on revenge and Paul thought it was ironic that a city boy like him might actually outsmart that girl. He looked away before Phoebe could see the amused smirk on his lips.  
  
Phoebe had to coax Cole into tasting the repulsive reptile, but after a few bites, and in spite of the fact that he still didn't think the taste was all that grand, he had to admit that it was better than the jerky.  
  
After collecting some more water and packing the rest of their meagre belongings, they finally started on Reggie's tracks. Once in the desert, Cole and Phoebe had to share a horse, so Paul took the point, as they started on this new leg of their trek. They were still wary of a trap however, and threaded circumspectly the first few hours. Nevertheless, it soon became evident that there was a noticeable difference in their quarry's advance. They were no longer slowing to wait for their pursuers and Paul became increasingly convinced that the gangsters had no clue they were followed. That night, they stopped only when it became dark and once again found that they could see a campfire in the distance. They ate what was left of the fresh meat, but as they couldn't warm it up, Cole thought that cold snake was definitely not an improvement on warm snake. During their frugal supper, it was decided that once more, Paul would take the first watch.  
  
After they were done, Cole watched Paul walking away and waited only a little while longer before taking his clothes off and slipping under the blanket with Phoebe, who had already done so as soon as their companion had left. She jumped slightly at his touch but soon sighed happily when he began caressing her. His hand wandered toward her loins where he found that she was ready for him at the first touch.  
  
"Cole…" she whispered hoarsely. He was impatient this time and without wait, he spread her legs and entered her immediately, although keeping his movements slow afterward as he leaned heavily on her.  
  
"Baby," he said huskily, before kissing her passionately. "I thought he'd never leave," he said as his lips trailed slowly toward her cheeks. Through ragged breaths, she questioned.  
  
"Did he buy it?"  
  
Cole laughed softly as he came back toward her mouth.  
  
"Hook, line and sinker…he's not suspecting a thing anymore…He's actually convinced that I wanna take my revenge on you… and good…"  
  
Cole sensed her tensing at this, and then she grabbed his face and forced him to look her in the eyes. The darkness made it hard for her to read his face however, and she couldn't keep the slight worry out of her mind.  
  
"You're still with me on this, aren't you?"  
  
He kissed her softly, and then she thought she felt him smile against her lips.  
  
"You know," he whispered, "you're even more desirable when you're vulnerable."  
  
Phoebe reacted.  
  
"Hey, I have some reasons to…" Before she could finish the sentence, Cole was pushing harder and she had to take a deep breath, already feeling the aura of ecstasy in spite of her slight insecurity, "or maybe," she thought, "because of it". However, she also reflected that, barring this slight doubt, she had never felt safer than in his arms. Forgetting everything but him, she began caressing his taut muscles, revelling in the rippling she felt in them as he moved faster, deeper, until the explosion of pleasure obscured every other thought. She had to bite back a scream at this and then she simply enjoyed the feel of his warm breath against her neck as he began relaxing.  
  
However, what almost stopped her heart was when he spoke at last.  
  
"I love you, Phoebe; I could never betray you."  
  
She knew that she should've been scared, but in that instant, she didn't want to think of all that made this wrong. She closed her eyes and instead, let her heart warm up at the idea of his love. There would be time to worry about the future later…  
  
Cole feared that he had spoken too soon. Nevertheless, she didn't protest or say anything afterward. Instead, her arms tightened slightly around him, and it gave him the assurance that he had not spoiled it all. After they had held each other in silence, he had to leave her side and did so reluctantly. He kissed her lengthily before putting his clothes on and tried to get some sleep a little ways from her; this, in prevision of his own watch to come… From where he was, he tried to see what she was doing but the darkness prevented it. He imagined that as he was looking her way, she did the same… and the thought warmed him as he drifted into dreamland.  
  
The calls of coyotes woke him up into the deep of night. Cole's heart raced with the memory of what had happened that first night. However, he soon realized that those calls were not the only thing that had awakened him.  
  
"Hey, sleepy head," Paul was calling from beside him. It was so dark that Cole could barely see him.  
  
"Right," Cole answered in a slurry voice.  
  
Paul chuckled.  
  
"You know, if you hadn't spent half that time atop the little tramp, you wouldn't be so tired."  
  
"I thought I asked you to refrain from that language," Cole replied in a firmer voice, hiding his discomfort at Paul's awareness of his actions.  
  
"Hey, you're not bailing on me," Paul whispered suspiciously while giving a useless look in Phoebe's direction. The darkness enveloped her as well and there was no way for him to know if she was awake.  
  
"I may want my revenge, but that doesn't mean that I like men disrespecting women," Cole said in the same low voice. "Particularly not the ones I bed… On that point, I think it's very much my business where I spent the night…"  
  
"Just make sure that it's only your dick that's involved in this," Paul replied curtly.  
  
Cole had a movement of anger at this comment but he decided that it wasn't worth it.  
  
"At any rate, it worked perfectly into our plan," Cole surprised Paul instead. "Trust me on this; she won't be a problem at all…"  
  
"How's that?"  
  
"Suffice for you to know that she's tamed…" Cole replied before walking away.  
  
Paul watched him for as long as he could until Cole disappeared in the night and then the doubts invaded him again. The more he dealt with this man, the less certain he was of his allegiance. If only he had not needed the backup, he reflected as he lied down to sleep with a disturbing apprehension.  
  
The next morning, Phoebe was strangely quiet until she announced that she would get some water from cactuses that lay a little ways from their camp. Paul recommended caution but Phoebe only shrugged. She pulled a knife from the pack and then walked away without deigning an answer. Cole watched her just as curiously and he began to get the sinking feeling that she might be pulling away from him again. What if she rejected him completely now? "Where would I be then?" He was there in his worries when Paul's voice startled him.  
  
"Hey, she doesn't seem all that tamed to me!"  
  
Cole grunted at this. He didn't feel like listening to McKail's sarcasm.  
  
"Hey, I'm talking to you. You said we wouldn't have to worry about her anymore…"  
  
"I'll take care of it, alright? You lead us and I'll take care of Phoebe," Cole reaffirmed.  
  
"And while you "take care" of Phoebe, who's watching my back," Paul continued, just as cynically.  
  
"Maybe you should worry more about who's gonna stab you in the back if I don't."  
  
"I don't have to worry about that. If you can't control her, I'll make sure she's no danger to me. As a matter of fact, that could be fun…"  
  
Cole glanced back at Paul and he didn't like the look on his face.  
  
"You're not gonna do anything to her. I agreed to have her delivered to the authorities. That's it. There's not gonna be any mistreatment of her until then…"  
  
"You mean besides you screwing her every chance you get, while you're plotting behind her back?"  
  
"That's the language she understands…besides, that's also a part of my revenge. I think I deserve a little pick me up…"  
  
"Just as long as you don't forget which side you're on."  
  
Cole gave him a dirty look but stayed silent.  
  
Even when she got onto the horse in front of him, she stayed silent and did so for the next few hours. She rode stoically, and if at first, he kept quiet as well, eventually Cole couldn't take the silent treatment anymore.  
  
"Phoebe…"  
  
Phoebe went on looking ahead without even a hint that she'd heard him. And this even though she was only mere inches from him… "If you got something to reproach me, I'd like to know…"  
  
This time, she shrugged but still didn't say anything.  
  
Cole became even more upset and he slowed the horse, in doing so, allowing Paul to distance them.  
  
That got a reaction out of Phoebe.  
  
"Hey, why in the hell are we falling behind?"  
  
"Because I figured that you had suddenly become hard of hearing… and since I intended to scream if necessary, I didn't think he needed to participate in our conversation." All of this had been uttered sarcastically but she sensed that he was also worried.  
  
She didn't feel like reassuring him in the least.  
  
"What? I'm not tamed enough yet? Or didn't you think I heard? The coyotes woke me up at the perfect moment for me to know what you really think."  
  
Cole sighed heavily behind her.  
  
"Phoebe, you know what that was!"  
  
"No I don't… You sounded almost like you enjoyed saying it. You sounded just as sincere as…"  
  
"As what, Phoebe?"  
  
Phoebe couldn't bring herself to speak of his declaration of the night before, and at the moment, it didn't seem so real anymore. However, even if she wasn't certain how she felt about it, she still would've liked to know that he hadn't been lying. But how?  
  
"How do I know I can trust you?"  
  
"What?" Cole was flabbergasted. "You're telling me that you can't trust ME? After all you've put me through…?"  
  
"I don't know anything anymore…"  
  
"Phoebe, you asked me to do this…" Cole insisted angrily.  
  
Phoebe didn't know what the matter with her was. Why on earth would she have believed that she could trust him in the first place? She had never trusted anyone. Yet, she wanted to… badly.  
  
"I fear that you've betrayed me already…" she finally admitted.  
  
Cole sighed as he encircled her waist with his left arm.  
  
"Phoebe, I told you I could never do that."  
  
"Yeah…and you told McKail that I wouldn't be a problem anymore. Which is real, Cole?"  
  
Cole sighed again and tightened his hold on her.  
  
"You wanna know what's real," he uttered intently while leaning toward her. His face was now almost touching her neck and she heard him breathing in deeply.  
  
"What's real, Phoebe," he continued hoarsely, "is that I can't stop thinking about you. There isn't a second of every minute that passes where I don't imagine a different way to take you. I'm crazy about you, Phoebe…"  
  
He stopped for a moment as his lips began grazing on her neck. No matter how worried she was about his motivation, this simple touch thrilled her. Her loins were already warming just thinking of what he might do next.  
  
"Don't you know the power you have over me, baby?"  
  
His hand wandered toward her breast and he soon began kneading it almost forcefully, making her feel once more the want he had of her. Much more than this, she realized that he now had power over her, but at the moment, it didn't seem to matter.  
  
'I…" she said, then stopped to try and catch her breath. "I just wish I could be certain," she managed before he dropped the reins in her lap and grabbed her loins. Her mind became clouded then and she couldn't even remember what she was actually worried about.  
  
"Phoebe," Cole whispered in her ear, "I want you…"  
  
"Now…?" she whispered between ragged breaths. "McKail…"  
  
"Is very far by now…besides he knows what we're doing…"  
  
"What!" Phoebe exclaimed in slight confusion. But before she could protest further, his hold on her groin tightened and he pulled her up to cradle her sideways on his lap. Meanwhile, Phoebe was vaguely aware that the horse continued on his own, most probably following the scent of Paul's horse. By then, however, her perceptions were seriously impaired by the swelling excitement, even as she tried again to question Cole.  
  
"What…" Phoebe started breathlessly but she had to stop again when he hurriedly opened her pants and slipped his hand in.  
  
"Cole…" She almost screamed as his stroking caused the warmth to become a blazing fire running from her loins to her belly. At that point, all she could think about was to have him inside of her. Her hand searched for his belt, and soon freed him of the clothing, gratified to feel his already hard arousal.  
  
Phoebe began stroking him then, and he groaned softly while pushing her pants down to her knees when she arched her hips instinctively. "I can't get enough of you, baby," he whispered again while trailing his fingers up her inner thigh.  
  
She felt like he was teasing her, and her hips moved forward, instinctively trying to force him back up to her pulsing cunt. His mouth brushed on her parted lips, and again she thought that he was taunting her.  
  
"Please," she begged, reaching behind his head and trying to pull him closer.  
  
"Impatient, are we," Cole whispered with a slight chuckle. He grabbed her loins again suddenly, massaging it hard while he muffled her scream by crushing her lips with his.  
  
Phoebe vaguely realized that she was slipping down with him but didn't react, so caught up in his touch she was. However, when Cole let go of her loins to push her pants all the way off, she finally became aware of the hot sand against her back. Before she knew it, he had pushed her thighs apart and was moving back up, impatiently, almost furiously entering her, while he kissed her again, probing her mouth hungrily, to which she responded with the same passion. If her arousal had been dizzying, the release almost had her fainting as wave after wave came forth from her quivering loins. Deep down, as the sensation slowly subsided, she knew that it had been much more than physical release. For every moment, she wanted him more, not less. Phoebe knew that she should have been wary of this growing dependency, but it seemed impossible to resist…  
  
Paul had noticed the other two falling back, and slightly slowed his mount but didn't turn back, convinced that they'd find their way to him sooner or later. Paul knew that Cole was making his move as he had assured him, yet he couldn't chase the malaise that accompanied this knowledge. He understood too well the power Phoebe exerted on men. Even the strongest of them, like Reggie, had showed weakness toward her. However, the strangest thing was the way she seemed taken with this city boy, and that, as far as Paul knew, was a first. He wondered whether it was good or bad in this situation, but couldn't quite make up his mind about it.  
  
Instead of dwelling on this, Paul returned his attention to the tracks, as they were disappearing behind a large dune. For a while already, he had noticed a radical change in the gangster's heading. Whereas they had seemed to be going toward Mexico before, they were now obviously heading for Texas. This only confirmed to him that they must be closing in on their true hideout. Cautiously, he dismounted and went to look over the edge of the sand mound. He soon congratulated himself for his caution when he found that the tracks led all the way to a ranch like habitation, lying only a few hundred feet ahead. To his estimate, they must have been closing in on the town of Tombstone by now, and it made some sense for Reggie to wanna stick around this town full of outlaws. The fact that they seemed to protect each other from the authorities might've been a strong incentive for The Slick. As he observed, he thought that he saw one of Reggie's men coming out of the house, although Paul was too far away for him to be certain. They would have to get closer at night and survey the place discreetly until Paul was confident of his facts, and then he would get his own team. He could already taste his victory while getting on his horse and heading back towards Phoebe and Cole…The thought of Phoebe brought a vicious smile to his lips at this point. "Soon," he thought, "I'll also get my revenge on that little slut and this'll only sweeten the deal…" 


	10. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 10)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter X  
  
  
  
The horse had wandered off, and then stopped, maybe a hundred feet from them. Cole was already on his way back from fetching it and Phoebe watched him with a renewed uncertainty. What if he was betraying her? How could she know for sure? When she saw Cole the first time, Phoebe had immediately pegged him as an easy prey for her manipulations. As time went by however, she was beginning to see him in a very different light. He was still keeping so many secrets. Phoebe couldn't be certain of anything with him anymore, and that worried her. Yet, as he was closing in on her, she saw that killer smile he had given her the day before and again she melted inside. No matter how hard she tried to reason with herself and stop this weakness he evoked in her; only one look, one touch, was enough to quash her resolve. Phoebe looked away as he came near, trying to clear her thoughts long enough to question him again.  
  
"What is it," Cole asked before she had the chance.  
  
"How can you ask me that? You know what's wrong," Phoebe snapped. She had wanted to sound reasonable, but the apprehension she felt showed through.  
  
"I thought we'd cleared things up a moment ago…" he trailed, while his smile vanished.  
  
"Having sex doesn't resolve anything…"  
  
"Strange," he retorted snidely, "you weren't complaining then…"  
  
Phoebe sneered, and then stomped angrily toward the horse.  
  
Before she could climb on it, Cole grabbed her by the waist and immobilized her against the mount with his body.  
  
"Let go of me," she spat, trying to free herself. Nevertheless, even as angry as she was, her struggle was half-hearted.  
  
"Not before we resolve this, Phoebe," Cole said intensely, his face inches from hers. Phoebe sensed that he was becoming angry. However, she also believed that she was the one who had a right to be angry, not him.  
  
"You, son of a bitch! How stupid do you think I am?"  
  
"No need for name calling," he replied curtly. "And I never thought you were stupid…However, you should've known that this little game of yours was dangerous. You're the one who got me into this mess, and after I did exactly what we'd agreed upon, you've got the nerve to reproach it to me?"  
  
"You said you were on my side…"  
  
"I am, damn it. I told you over and over…I'm getting tired of your suspicions, Phoebe," he growled.  
  
Phoebe remained silent at this and Cole frowned dejectedly. Then he sighed deeply, trying to calm down before he nudged her cheek with his.  
  
"I'm sorry…You have to know that I love you, Phoebe…"  
  
Phoebe pulled away abruptly, and Cole gave her a puzzled look. Then, his expression changed, as if an idea struck him.  
  
"It's not just McKail you're worried about, is it?" Cole exclaimed while letting go of her.  
  
"You're scared to admit you've got feelings for me!"  
  
Phoebe flinched visibly but she stubbornly refused to look at him.  
  
"What is so scary about that, Phoebe?"  
  
Phoebe opened her mouth to protest, but Cole interrupted her in a low but imperative voice.  
  
"McKail…"  
  
Phoebe looked up curiously at the sudden change in the conversation and she saw Paul coming as well. She composed herself the best she could, as did Cole. By the time Paul was close enough to read their expressions, nothing remained of their spat.  
  
"Hey! You rabbits…," Paul commented mockingly, "now it's time for you to prove I didn't drag you through this desert for nothing…"  
  
Cole turned to him irritably.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? And what are you doing back here anyway?"  
  
"Well, first of all, you were taking your jolly time. I'm guessing you had better things to do," Paul answered sarcastically. "But the fact is that we may just have arrived at our destination."  
  
This revelation got both Phoebe and Cole's attention on the spot. Phoebe glanced up at McKail, eagerly asking:  
  
"Are you certain?" The thought of finally getting to her goal was enough to help her set aside the knot that had been forming in her stomach. Cole had hit a nerve, but she didn't want him to know that just then. The fact that it might very well be the truth had been a shock to her.  
  
"Well," Paul was answering, "we'll only be certain when we've taken a closer look… we also need to make sure that it's the end of the road for them…but the odds are in our favor." Paul finished confidently.  
  
Phoebe hesitated only a moment before letting a triumphant smile spread over her lips.  
  
"What are we waiting for? Let's get it…"  
  
"Now wait a minute," Paul exclaimed. "We can't just go there and take them on by ourselves. This time, there won't be any mistake and I'll make sure that the whole gang is going behind bars."  
  
Phoebe suddenly cast a suspicious look at him.  
  
"Does that include me?"  
  
Both men stared at her as if her question came as a complete surprise to them. However, Paul still warned deliberately.  
  
"That's not part of the plan, Phoebe… But remember not to try anything foolish," he finished with a barely veiled threat.  
  
Phoebe glared at him but didn't respond. Instead she said:  
  
"We can't wait much longer. The more time passes, the more likely they are to find out about us. Then, we'd be in deep shit; on top of missing our chance."  
  
"We'll have to be careful then. I'm not going after them without my team. I just wanna make sure that we've got the right place, and then we'll go on to Tombstone. I already have a few men there and we'll telegraph for more."  
  
"You do," Cole questioned.  
  
"I couldn't count only on Phoebe. I have men in many cities on the look out for Reggie and his men. However, Tombstone is one place where asking too many questions is unhealthy. Even from the sheriff…Anyway, they hadn't had any more luck than my other teams…"  
  
"So what do we do now?" Cole asked again.  
  
"We go separately on a large detour around the ranch. The way to Tombstone is on a straight line from here," Paul said, indicating the way he had come from. We should meet on the other side, once we've made sure that they haven't left in another direction. Don't go further than a mile beyond the ranch…"  
  
Phoebe gave him another suspicious glance.  
  
"How can we be sure that you're not double-crossing us?"  
  
"Oh that's rich coming from you, Phoebe…" Paul uttered derisively. Then, he became more serious as he pursued. "I only trust you because I don't have a choice, and neither do you… We can't leave here until I'm sure that this is their hideout. That'll be your guaranty, alright?"  
  
Phoebe shrugged in annoyance before getting on the horse without a word.  
  
"Let's go then… Nightfall is coming soon…"  
  
Paul's gaze went from her to Cole, who nodded before climbing on the horse behind Phoebe.  
  
"We'll take west…" Cole simply said before kicking the horse.  
  
Paul watched them go with apprehension. However, as he had told Phoebe truthfully, he had little choice. She was the most experienced in the desert and the most likely to spot tracks, even in the eventuality where they'd made some efforts to hide them. "Also, Cole might just have gotten lost on the way, which would have been regrettable and of little use to me," Paul added for himself. He shrugged and then turned his horse eastward, starting a wide half-circle around the ranch…  
  
On the way, Phoebe had Cole stop the horse a few times, so she could bend over the side, apparently observing something that Cole couldn't fathom. To him, it all looked the same and frankly, he was grateful for her knowledge of the desert. Every time however, she would straighten back up and simply indicate to go on without any explanation. Many times, he was tempted to return to their earlier conversation, but her obvious reticence made him uncomfortable, and even insecure. What if she rejected him? What if she told him how ridiculously mistaken he was? Cole wasn't too certain how he'd feel about that. Not to mention that in the next few hours, he would need her to trust him… He could only hope that he had been convincing enough…  
  
Cole still waited for another fifteen minutes or so before he tried to question her again. In truth, her silence was becoming torture to him and he wished he could read her mind, just as much, he knew, as she wished she could read his…  
  
"Phoebe?"  
  
Instead of answering this directly, she motioned for him to stop the horse again.  
  
"We're here," she simply stated, dismounting as soon as they halted. He hadn't even had time to hold on to her, and now she was walking away, obviously looking for a sign of Paul's. Cole had been so intent on his resolve that he had not noticed the markings of a well beaten path in front of them. As he dismounted in turn, he tried to figure out which way the ranch was for a moment. This desert was not for an amateur. It all looked the same everywhere, a flat and unforgiving wasteland, but for a few boulders and dunes breaking the monotony here and there. Cole wondered if he would ever get better at this, or if he would ever get the chance. He wasn't used to being so needy. That was an uncomfortable feeling, which he had been experiencing since he left the prison with Phoebe. Right then, he wished that this was all over with already and he could get back to his normal life.  
  
He turned back toward Phoebe and saw she was still concentrating on watching for Paul. However, as he started toward her, he saw the man in question coming atop a tall boulder.  
  
Paul saw them with relief. All the way there, he had wondered if Phoebe had not convinced Cole to go straight to the ranch. Alerting Reggie was definitely not in the plan. At least, not until he was certain that he could grab all of them, and for that he needed more manpower. He was about to get down from his observing point when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. A cloud of dust was growing in the distance and he knew they were coming fast toward them. Imperatively, he motioned toward Cole to hide behind the boulder. This one was still uncertain on what Paul meant, but Phoebe's insistent call moved him into action.  
  
"Cole, let's get out of here."  
  
She sounded nervous, and as he returned his gaze toward her, he also noticed the cloud of dust, which was becoming more obvious every second. He grabbed the horse's reins and hurried toward Phoebe before they both hid behind the boulder. Paul was already waiting for them there. He watched anxiously as a carriage pulled by two horses became visible. Paul was certain that the driver was one of Reggie's men, but he didn't recognize the man sitting beside him in front of the open carriage. In the back, he could see three girls in flimsy and colourful clothing. No doubts these were girls from some brothel that they were bringing to the ranch. Behind Paul, Phoebe snidely remarked:  
  
"Reggie never could keep it in his pants for long…"  
  
After the carriage had moved past them, Paul half turned toward Phoebe.  
  
"Jealous?" He questioned mockingly. He saw her shrugging angrily and he moved back further behind the boulder with even more amusement. However, he soon became serious again.  
  
"So," Paul began, turning toward his companions once he was certain they were out of danger, "you think they'll be having some kind of party tonight?"  
  
"Sure looks like it," Phoebe replied while she was obviously thinking fast.  
  
Paul could easily imagine what went through her mind, as he was certain they thought the same. "It should make it all the easier for us to snoop around if they're all busy."  
  
"You can't expect he won't leave sentinels… Reggie's not that stupid…"  
  
"How many men does he have, really?" Paul questioned.  
  
"I can't be certain of how many are at the ranch; but he said that his band was composed of at least ten men at any given time. Of course, we've dispatched two of those recently and I doubt that he replaced them that quickly, but it still leaves us with quite a few to contend with."  
  
Rather than answering, Paul watched the sun coming down quickly on the horizon.  
  
"Still," he finally said, "if I use the cover of night and go at it carefully, I should be able to get close enough without being detected…"  
  
"You mean we, don't you," Phoebe asked pointedly.  
  
Paul glanced back at her irritably.  
  
"Don't be stupid, Phoebe. There is no need to augment the risk by going together…"  
  
"I wanna see for myself that the money is there. I don't trust you…"  
  
Paul snickered.  
  
"The feeling is mutual and that's why I don't want you anywhere near me…"  
  
"You won't have a choice…I'm coming with you and that's the end of it," Phoebe uttered firmly.  
  
Paul looked up at Cole, wondering if he shouldn't end this charade right then and there. However, as he saw Cole still hesitating, he also reflected that it might be too soon to risk it. They were way too close to their goal. If Cole turned against him now…  
  
"Alright, Phoebe…but you do what I say, is that clear?"  
  
"Just as long as you let me come along… Cole can watch our backs," Phoebe added with a hint of uncertainty that Paul recognized easily. He was having the same reservations.  
  
"I guess so…"  
  
Going back toward his horse, he climbed on it quickly.  
  
"If we're all in agreement, let's go then…" Paul gave one last applied look toward Cole and this one returned his glance with uncertainty. As he rode off, Paul began to wonder seriously about him. All the way to the ranch, he kept casting furtive looks behind him, regretting not letting them take the lead. However, the short trek went without a hitch and soon they were closing in on the ranch. Paul found another dune behind which he dismounted and signalled for the other two to do the same. Cole grabbed both horses' reins, but still seemed hesitant.  
  
"I think it's too dangerous," he said at last, breaking the silence he had maintained since they had arrived at the path.  
  
Darkness was falling quickly and short of a few torches in the ranch courtyard, there was no light to speak of. This made it difficult for Paul to read his face.  
  
"We're not gonna do anything here. We're only surveying the place. I have a gun tucked in my saddlebag. Take it. Can you shoot? Even from this distance, I mean?"  
  
He couldn't be certain, but Paul thought that he saw Cole shrugging.  
  
"Of course I can shoot," this one retorted while taking the gun Paul referred to.  
  
"I still think that it's foolish. We should get those men of yours… Reggie is obviously not going anywhere."  
  
Paul answered irritably.  
  
"Tombstone's an hour from here on horse. By the time we get back, he might've gone…and frankly I can't trust you to say here by yourself" he added as Cole was about to protest?  
  
"Suspicious much," Cole questioned sarcastically.  
  
Paul didn't let anything transpire in his voice when he replied.  
  
"Simply cautious… Let's go. I can already hear the sounds of their little party."  
  
Indeed in the distance, they could hear music, obviously from some piano inside.  
  
Phoebe nodded uselessly as Paul could barely see her at this point, and then she went ahead cautiously. In one of Sly's boots, which she had kept, she felt the knife against her leg. After she had done exactly what she'd announced that morning, which was getting some water from the cactuses, she had put the knife in one of the boots without their noticing. Cole had not appeared to find it earlier either. She was grateful for that, particularly because under the circumstances she had not even remembered about it. As she moved slowly toward the ranch, she wondered if he'd seen it after all. Seemed impossible for him to have missed it… If yes then why didn't he take it away? Was that a good sign? Phoebe wished that she could be certain; particularly now.  
  
Soon, they saw two men crossing paths in the illuminated courtyard and then going out of sight. They were obviously watching the perimeter, and until now, Phoebe had only seen those two. She was already getting up to get a closer look when Paul put a firm hand on her arm, stopping her. She gave him a questioning glance, but then in the weak light of the torches, she saw him staring intently at a small shack standing on the opposite side of the courtyard. There, she finally saw another man standing guard in front of the door. The reason she hadn't seen him until now was that the shack was facing away from the house. They moved aside to get a better look at it. There seemed to be a heavy bar on the door and as far as Phoebe could see, this bar appeared to be held in place by a large lock and chains. Things were looking up. After waiting for what seemed an eternity to Phoebe, they estimated that the two guards took about fifteen minutes to go around the perimeter before returning to the courtyard. At last, Phoebe had enough of this waiting and she stood up quickly, while Paul exhaled deeply in frustration. Phoebe was now close enough to get a good look at the man in front of the shack and she was certain she had never seen him before. Thinking quickly, she took her pants and boots off and kept only the shirt on while she hid the knife behind her back.  
  
Paul watched her going with an appalled expression. He saw that she was apparently hiding something behind her back, but he couldn't quite distinguish what it was. Giving up on this, he observed the man instead and saw that he was looking intently at Phoebe. Paul understood that this was his best chance to get closer and took it.  
  
"Hey," the guard was saying… "What are you doing here, babe?"  
  
Phoebe used her most seductive voice while ostensibly pulling the shirt high enough so he would get a good view of her bare midsection. She saw the lust in his eyes and knew that her bluff was working.  
  
"Oh I was just thinking that you, poor guys, were stuck out here while all the fun's inside…"  
  
The man squinted, apparently wondering if he recognized her, but his eyes soon returned to her exposed loins, telling her that men were all the same. They didn't care much what you looked like, just how quickly they could dip their dicks. He bit his lips uncertainly, while he felt up her thigh. In spite of her confidence, Phoebe tightened her hold on the knife behind her back while stifling a grimace as he was now grabbing her cunt. However, he removed his hand, albeit reluctantly.  
  
"Sorry, babe," he finally said, "no can do…Reggie would kill me if I left my post… maybe we can get to it later…," he continued with another lustful look at her.  
  
Phoebe smiled luridly, while daring a quick look toward the side of the shack. There she saw Paul signalling for her and she moved away immediately.  
  
"Alright, cowboy, if you say so," she uttered with faked disappointment.  
  
She let the shirt fall back over her bare buttocks as she turned around while making sure that the knife was out of his sight. She appeared to be going back toward the house, but as soon as she was certain he couldn't see her anymore, she ran toward where she'd left her clothes. As Phoebe was hastily dressing, she almost screamed when a firm hand grabbed her forearm.  
  
"You stupid crazy bitch!" Paul grumbled then. She shook him off impatiently.  
  
"It worked, didn't it? What did you see?"  
  
She couldn't be certain, but she thought she saw a smile forming on his lips.  
  
"I saw the bags from the coach robbery through a small window. I think that we found our money. Now, it's time to get my team and come back in force," he said again, while turning back without waiting for an answer.  
  
Phoebe gave one last satisfied look toward the ranch and then followed him.  
  
When they got back to Cole, Phoebe realized with some surprise that she was relieved he couldn't see what she'd done. It was ridiculous, she knew, but she felt something akin to shame at this. That was a new and unpleasant sensation, which she tried very hard to repress as they filled him in on what they found.  
  
"So, we're really close then," Cole uttered with a certain lack of enthusiasm that Phoebe couldn't understand. However, now wasn't the time to question it, as they walked the horses a way before climbing on them and starting toward Tombstone. The darkness made it hard to distinguish the path, but Paul seemed to know his way because he rode with very little hesitation.  
  
When they were about halfway to Tombstone, by Phoebe's estimate, Paul suddenly stopped. Cole and she halted behind him in puzzlement. But then she saw him lighting a torch and thought that he had decided they were far enough. However, rather than kicking his horse again, Paul dismounted and turned to them, pointing his revolver at them.  
  
Phoebe got a sinking feeling then.  
  
"What the hell?" She exclaimed.  
  
"Oh come on, Phoebe, playing the ingénue doesn't suit you. We both know what's the matter here… I can almost hear the little wheels turning in your head from here…Both of you, get down!"  
  
Phoebe was still hesitating, her hand already sliding toward her boot, but Cole grabbed her forcefully and practically dragged her to the ground, while holding her arms tightly against her sides. The sinking feeling deepened.  
  
"I see that you finally chose your side, Turner," Paul mocked. "Well babe, I guess your power over men is not as strong as you thought," he continued clowning, as he was approaching them. Phoebe tried to kick Cole and struggled to get away from him but he was holding her very tight and had snaked one leg around hers to keep her from escaping.  
  
Paul was already grabbing a rope from their own horse's saddle, and Phoebe realized that if she was angry with Cole, the foremost feeling was more of pain and disappointment as she stopped struggling. In a voice that she barely recognized, she questioned:  
  
"Cole?"  
  
Even though he had been somewhat conflicted about it for the last few days, he still had believed that he could take his revenge on her. However, when he heard the hurt in her voice, his stomach sunk. For the last two days, he had moments, mostly in her arms, where he had forgotten all about Paul and his warnings. At the time, he had thought that it was merely lust and set it aside quickly, in spite of the strange feelings she inspired in him. He had truly believed that his vows of love were only his way to get her trust. Now however, as he was about to seal her fate, and in doing so, his own, he realized that he couldn't go through with it. Paul had planted the torch firmly in the ground and was now coming back to them with the rope in hand. Cole delicately kissed Phoebe's neck and his hold on her relaxed noticeably. Phoebe had to refrain from sighing in relief as she watched Paul coming. When he got close enough, she suddenly freed her leg from Cole's now loose hold and kicked the revolver out of Paul's hand. This one was so stunned he didn't react and Cole used this time to push Phoebe aside and hit him hard in the jaw. Paul fell backward, letting go of the rope as well, while Phoebe hurriedly picked up the revolver. She almost mocked Paul in turn about her power over men not being gone after all, but she refrained after giving one look at Cole. Instead, she waited for Cole to tie Paul up without a word, while she pointed the gun ostensibly at him. Paul tried to protest, but Cole put a scarf in his mouth, muffling Paul's outraged comments.  
  
Paul soon had his hands and feet tied, and Cole dragged him a ways off the path. There, he hesitated at length. Even in the weak light provided by the torch, he could read the reproaches in Paul's eyes. Unbeknown to Phoebe, he pulled a small looking knife from his own boot and discreetly threw it a few feet from Paul. He then moved very close to Paul and whispered:  
  
"I couldn't let you do that to her, but I won't leave you defenseless either…Get your men…who knows, we might need them soon if I know Phoebe…"  
  
Then without another look at Paul, he went back toward Phoebe.  
  
"So what do you wanna do?" he asked then.  
  
Phoebe observed him curiously, at the same time as she was casting a few glances Paul's way.  
  
"Are you sure you won't turn on me again," she questioned pointedly.  
  
Cole towered over her.  
  
"I'm with you, Phoebe…"  
  
She gave him another uncertain gaze, before stepping up to him and kissing him lightly on the lips.  
  
"Then, lover, we're going back and this time, we're not leaving without the money…"  
  
Cole simply nodded in acquiescence, albeit with a knot in the pit of his stomach, and then he climbed on his own horse, while Phoebe went to Paul's. She gave one last look in McKail's direction and couldn't help the next comment.  
  
"Too bad we're in a hurry. I think that you'd have liked the fresh air of the night on your bare butt," she taunted. Paul grunted loudly through the gag, obviously very angry, but Phoebe ignored it and instead laughed heartily as she turned the horse around and kicked it hard. Cole had left the torch in the ground, and as they rode away, the night enveloped them quickly. As soon as Paul was certain that Phoebe couldn't see him anymore, he began slithering on the ground, looking for the knife, which had fallen out of the light circle. All the while, he vented uselessly through the gag… 


	11. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 11)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter XI  
  
  
  
When they found themselves in sight of the ranch, Cole was more worried than ever. He had tried a few times to talk her out of whatever she had planned, but Phoebe wouldn't have it. She dismounted behind the same dune where he had waited earlier and Cole figured he should at least give it another shot. This time however, he reflected that if he told the whole truth, maybe it would have more effect.  
  
"Phoebe?"  
  
"Cole, I already told you. I won't change my mind. And frankly, I don't wanna hear it from you anymore."  
  
Cole sighed and closed his eyes in exasperation.  
  
"Look, whether you wanna hear it or not, you will. Those guys are not joking. You can't just go waltzing in there and hope to get away with the money and without a scratch!"  
  
"It's funny you say that. It's close to what I had in mind," Phoebe replied cryptically.  
  
Cole stared at her in puzzlement but decided that now wasn't the time to question her about this.  
  
"Phoebe…Paul's gonna be here with his men sometime during the night. Worse case, he'll be here in the morning."  
  
"You're forgetting that Paul is tied up on the side of the road…wait a minute," Phoebe almost shouted. She stopped herself and glanced quickly toward the ranch for fear that she'd alerted them. After a few seconds however, she was convinced that no one heard. She turned back to Cole angrily and spoke in a low but intense voice.  
  
"What the hell do you mean, he'll be here?"  
  
Cole couldn't look at her. He knew he had again betrayed her trust. He had been hoping that by being candid, she would put more weight in his warnings…Now, he wasn't so sure anymore. Nevertheless, he had started on that line and so he answered.  
  
"I gave him a knife…"  
  
"You what?"  
  
"Phoebe, this enterprise of yours is suicidal. I figured that maybe if I couldn't stop you, they might actually get here fast enough to prevent the worst."  
  
"The worst…? Like what? Like I get the money and they don't? Is that the worst?"  
  
"Phoebe you're being ridiculous. You've got no chance to get out of this alive!"  
  
"I'm going and that's the end of it."  
  
"Phoebe, you can't do that on your own. I won't let you kill yourself."  
  
"Why? Because you love me…?" Phoebe retorted sarcastically.  
  
"I…"  
  
"Look Cole, I'm grateful you didn't deliver me to Paul, even though you planned to do it all along. I've got no idea what made you change your mind and frankly, after what you've just told me, I'm wondering if it wasn't another twisted trick of yours."  
  
"No!" Cole exclaimed. "Phoebe, I just couldn't go through with it…"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I…" Cole hesitated at length, and then he finished, almost defeated, "I can't…"  
  
"Well, there's an improvement," Phoebe continued. "At least you're not trying to bullshit me anymore. I must say though, you sounded mighty sincere back then. You probably practiced that a lot didn't you?"  
  
Cole wanted to protest but he had to admit that on occasions he had used these words cavalierly before.  
  
"Wow, you won't even protest at that," Phoebe said again. However, there was a trace of disappointment in her voice and he tried to read her face but again the semi darkness prevented him from finding out what she really thought.  
  
"I'm sorry, Phoebe…I shouldn't have done that but… what you did to me…"  
  
"What did I do to you? Hurt your pride? I told you. All you had to do was swallow this god damn pride of yours and go back."  
  
"Damn it, Phoebe, you dumped me naked in the desert. What? Was I supposed to just forget about that because of a few rolls in the hay?"  
  
"Then, don't be surprised if I don't forget anytime soon the way you betrayed me." Phoebe trailed. "How did you do it though," she questioned, suddenly more animated, "how come it seemed so easy for you to lie?"  
  
Cole chuckled unhappily.  
  
"Force of habit… Lying is almost a prerequisite in my line of work…"  
  
"What the hell does that mean?"  
  
"My father would say I'm one of those sleazy sharks he has to deal with …"  
  
"A lawyer…? You're a lawyer?" This time, Phoebe almost laughed and Cole stared irritably at her.  
  
"Well, maybe you find it funny, but the lawyer that I am fooled you…"  
  
Cole regretted saying that the moment it came out but it was too late.  
  
"Phoebe I didn't mean it like that."  
  
"Oh yes, you did. And you know what? I much prefer this. At least, now I know what to expect from you. Although, I still don't understand what a lawyer is doing trying to steal money from a gangster…"  
  
Phoebe felt him hesitate again; as if he was going to tell her the why. However he apparently changed his mind.  
  
"No matter, I'm here and I still can't let you do this…" Cole obviously chose to say instead.  
  
"And I told you that I'm going, no matter what." Phoebe was already stepping away when she stopped and looked back.  
  
"Of course, it'd be easier if you'd help me."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Not even for a quarter of a million dollars? I'm sure that even for a big lawyer like you, it's a substantial amount of money. And make no mistake. I'm offering this to you so that you'll help me. But if you refuse, that won't keep me from doing it anyway."  
  
"And how the hell do you hope to do that on your own?"  
  
"I told you… I'll waltz in there. Although, I probably won't look like any lady on the dance floor to you…"  
  
Cole was thinking furiously now. The money was irrelevant to him. At least, it was at the moment. However, he recognized that Phoebe would go through with it if he didn't stop her and then, he wouldn't have any chance to redeem himself in her eyes. By then, he was certain that he did feel something for her. And even more that it was mutual. He had to find a way to keep her safe. How could he stop her from making the worse mistake? Then, he remembered her saying something about the money and he decided to try using this to keep her there.  
  
"I thought you said you were only in this for the reward? That you were doing it to get your freedom and give a suitable life to your daughter? Was that all a lie?"  
  
"Look who's talking about my lies!" Phoebe replied derisively. However, she was paying attention now and he pursued this.  
  
"Phoebe, I just told you, I'm a lawyer and I've got a lot of influential friends. I'm sure I could get you off the hook. Even if McKail had you arrested…"  
  
"Trying another one of your little schemes on me?"  
  
"Phoebe, I swear to you."  
  
"Don't!" She snapped. "My offer is simple," she continued, barely containing her anger, "you get half the money, or the reward for Reggie, whatever you choose. Although, if I were you, I wouldn't trust McKail to keep his word more than I trust you to keep yours…"  
  
"If you can't trust me, then why ask for my help?"  
  
"Hardly enough, I've had much more dealings with untrustworthy men than the reverse… I can't even remember one worthy of my trust…" Phoebe gave him a pointed look before pursuing, "except at one point, I thought that you were that…thank god, you restored my faith in the sleaziness of men," she finished a little more forcefully.  
  
"You know what," Phoebe went on bitterly, "I don't want you to help me after all. I just realized. You're worse than any of them. I mean, a few tried the love trick, but that was always because they thought it would get them in my pants faster. You…you wanted in my head. You're even worse than Reggie. At least, he didn't pretend to love me. Even when he was beating the crap out of me, that was always sincere."  
  
Every single one of her words hit the nail painfully for Cole. He knew he deserved it, and a strange despair was invading him now. He understood that nothing he could say would ever convince her that he felt something for her. Not anymore. He had destroyed his chances before he realized he loved her for real. Cole couldn't even bring himself to tell her because he knew that the words would sound empty. What's more, he couldn't reproach Phoebe her doubts. Now there was only one thing he could do for her, and as she turned away again, he called back to her.  
  
"I'll help you…"  
  
"On what condition…?"  
  
"You said I'd get half?"  
  
"I did," she agreed reluctantly.  
  
"Well, then, let me help you and we'll share the money…"  
  
"Whatever happened to your so called principles?"  
  
"Like you said," Cole answered with a joyless smile, "a quarter of a million dollars is a lot of money…"  
  
Phoebe came closer, staring at him as if she was trying to read his mind. She cast another glance at the ranch and then shrugged.  
  
"Alright…here's the plan…"  
  
Cole couldn't believe he had agreed to this. Right then, he watched Phoebe strolling toward the shack, only wearing her shirt. As soon as she was faced with the guard, he felt the same horrible jealousy he had when he saw her with Reggie. This time, however, he knew that he would get some satisfaction out of the pain he intended to inflict on him. He stood on the opposite side of the shack and the patrol had just crossed the yard, leaving them a few minutes to act.  
  
"Hey, you're back," the guard smiled luridly.  
  
"Yeah," Phoebe said leisurely, "I really kind of like you, you know…Couldn't leave it at that," she added as she rubbed her bare leg against his crotch. The man didn't need more as he grabbed her buttocks and pulled her toward him.  
  
"It's really not fair," he uttered, breathing hard in her face while his hand slid between her legs. He gave a few glances around, and then smiled anew. "Hell, if we do it fast, no one will know," he added while hurriedly opening his pants. He had barely time to pull his already hard shaft out of them before the blow in the back of his head knocked him out for the count. Phoebe looked up and saw Cole holding a large rock. There was a trace of blood on it. "Hey, Cowboy… we're not in this to kill anyone." Then she qualified "except maybe that sleaze Reggie if he interferes. But hopefully, we'll just take his money," she said as she bent to pick up a large key ring from the fallen man's belt. Cole watched her and couldn't help a stirring at seeing her buttocks so blatantly offered. He had to refrain from touching her and frankly felt even more ashamed of himself then. Dropping the rock to the ground, he took a few deep breaths while looking away.  
  
"What is it, Cowboy," Phoebe questioned, "Can't take the heat?"  
  
"Just cover your ass and let's do it," he replied curtly.  
  
Phoebe almost giggled.  
  
"One down…"  
  
Cole sighed heavily, as he began to tie and gag the guard, and then dragged him behind the shack and out of sight. Afterward, he went to position himself at one end of the house, while Phoebe waited for the first sentinel in her best seductive pose…  
  
Fortunately for Phoebe, this one was also new to her and he fell with the same expediency as the first one. This time, Cole used a stick, but struck him just as enthusiastically. Phoebe glanced curiously at him, as she was surprised by this display of violence. However, she also reflected with a little pinch in her stomach that it might be another one of those things she had not known about him. Unwilling to dwell on this, she turned back to the fallen guard and saw that he was just as aroused as the first one had been. "Men! They're so easy," she thought. This time, they left him lying there for the moment and hurried to the other side of the house for fear that the second sentinel would surprise them.  
  
Phoebe barely had time to get there before the third guard came out of the darkness and she immediately saw her mistake. From afar, she had not recognized Zach. In hindsight, she realized it was not such a surprise. The man was really none-descript. The kind of person you'd see and then almost forget about. However, he had not forgotten her. As soon as he saw Phoebe, Zach pulled a gun from his belt and rushed at her. Oblivious to her undressed state, he growled:  
  
"Hey, you're supposed to be dead!"  
  
Phoebe had to take a deep breath to steady her voice, but she still mocked.  
  
"News of my death was overly premature…"  
  
"Well, let me make it official," Zach said while pressing the nose of the gun against her stomach. Cole was panicked. He had to do something but was afraid that one false move would provoke the very thing he feared the most. He began walking slowly toward them nonetheless.  
  
However, instead of shooting her, Zack pulled a knife from his belt.  
  
"I remember now," he said then, trailing the knife down from her throat and pushing aside the shirt, "Reggie wanted a nipple. He'll be so glad to get it after all. You don't know how miffed he was that the coyotes and the vultures might have gotten his prize…"  
  
Keeping the knife against her chest, he put back the gun in its holster, and then proceeded to lift the shirt with his free hand, giving an appreciative glance at her nakedness.  
  
"You really are a nice piece of ass, babe. Too bad you had to piss off Reggie."  
  
Zack looked up at this, wanting to see the fear in her eyes, but instead he saw her looking behind him. Instinctively, he grabbed her and twisted her around, holding the knife against her throat. Cole opened wide eyes at this. He had hesitated too long.  
  
"Who the hell are you," Zach questioned, somewhat nervously.  
  
"No need to panic," Cole said as calmly as he could, while dropping the stick at his feet. He glanced back toward the house, but no one seemed to have noticed what was happening. In fact, the house was rather quiet at the moment and he wondered if they were all asleep already. All of this crossed his mind very quickly as he returned his attention to Phoebe and Zach. Phoebe seemed afraid but holding on. He thought of trying to get out his gun, but knew that they wouldn't get very far if they alerted the rest of the gang. Zach was watching him warily, and Cole sensed that he wasn't a very assertive person. He took one step toward them while talking to Zach:  
  
"Oh come on, you don't wanna hurt her just yet. A pussy like her feels so much better when she screams and squirms… I've been after this pretty ass for a while myself…Let's share…"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? Stay back," Zach uttered nervously.  
  
Cole stopped abruptly, but after a few seconds, he took another step.  
  
"Hey," Cole pursued with a sly smile, "you can't tell me you're not tempted…Feel her up…I'm sure she's wet already…She wants it bad…"  
  
Zach knew that something was up but he couldn't help the arousal this evoked. Phoebe sensed that he hesitated slightly, and she could feel the bulge that pressed against her buttocks. Knowing that it was her last chance, she pressed on.  
  
"He's right, you know," she uttered sensuously, "come on lover," she pursued while deliberately parting her legs and pushing her buttocks against his crotch. The slight moment of confusion Zack experienced then at her strange behaviour was enough to give Phoebe the opportunity she needed. The knife moved slightly away from her throat and she grabbed Zach's arm suddenly, pushing him away from her. Unfortunately, before Cole could reach him and knock him out, Zach waved the knife back toward her and hit her in the side. Phoebe moaned in pain, while Cole knocked the knife out of Zach's hand angrily and proceeded to hit him with blind fury. By the time he stopped, this none- descript man could now be identified by a broken nose and probably a broken jaw as well. When he was spent, Cole turned toward Phoebe and grabbed her tight in his arms.  
  
"Oh my god, I was so scared for you…" He had not even noticed the wound yet. However, when she squirmed in his arms, while emitting another groan of pain, he looked down at her and the fear renewed inside him as he saw the blood soaking her shirt.  
  
"Phoebe? Are you ok?"  
  
Phoebe had wanted to get angry and push him away, but in all truth, she was shaken and hurting, so that his arms around her felt really good. She couldn't help noticing that he sounded sincerely worried and wondered if she wasn't deluding herself again. Cole lifted the shirt, but this time, he only noticed the awful gash that ran down her side. He tried to look closer to make sure it wasn't deep, but Phoebe pulled away.  
  
"It's ok. I'll live… Let's not lose any more time."  
  
"But Phoebe, you're…"  
  
"I said it was alright," she interrupted abruptly. Then her voice softened slightly:  
  
"Thanks for caring, but I'll be fine…"  
  
He watched her moving away with an apprehensive frown. After a moment of hesitation, he went to get the length of rope he had brought along and tied up Zack and then the other sentinel. Again he dragged them both toward the shack while Phoebe was already in her clothes and waiting for him. As soon as he came back toward her, she began trying the keys in the lock while Cole watched the house anxiously. Every few seconds, he was casting a glance at her side, wondering if she truly was ok, but after her rebuke, he decided not to ask again for now. Soon Phoebe found the right key and she pulled the chains away carefully. After all this, it wouldn't have done to alert them with the clinking of the chains. Then, she tapped on Cole's shoulder. This one was startled, but only one look behind him told him what she wanted. The both of them took off the heavy bar and were inside the shack within a few seconds. At the sight, Phoebe almost forgot the throbbing from her wound. There, piled up in a corner, were the bags of gold she remembered from the last robbery. Besides those were a few more with similar markings. After a moment of triumph, where she smiled contentedly, she moved toward the first bag and opened it impatiently.  
  
Phoebe had to repress a scream of rage at what she found. The bag was filled with rocks… she pulled a few of them out, staring at them incredulously. Cole was just as disappointed at the sight and he proceeded to open another one with the same result. After five bags, they had to resign themselves to the fact that the gold wasn't there. Reggie had fooled them all.  
  
"No," Phoebe uttered angrily. "Bastard!"  
  
She had barely said this when a loud scream came from the house, making her jump. It was soon followed by another and Phoebe thought that she heard something else. This other sound was very familiar and hated. She was convinced that Reggie or another of his acolytes was whipping one of the girls. This on top of her frustrating discovery provoked an intense rage inside her.  
  
"What's happening," Cole questioned, as he was also shaken by the agonizing screams.  
  
"Reggie is probably getting his sadistic fun," Phoebe spat. "Well, not for long," she added between clenched teeth.  
  
Cole didn't like the look on her face then, and he wondered anxiously what she had in mind. He remembered having seen some marks on her rump during their love making but at the time he had thought better than to ask about it.  
  
"Did he do this to you?"  
  
Phoebe didn't answer, as if she hadn't heard the question while she stared at the house intensely. Then, still without a word, she went out of the shack and picked up the gun she'd taken from Paul along with a few lengths of rope. She was already on her way, when she noticed a roll of barbed wire lying near the steps. She pulled the sharp knife still in her boot and cut a length of this too, staring at it with a wicked smile. Phoebe then stuffed this inside her pants' pocket. Cole saw that she was determined to go inside when she got on to the first step. He decided to try stopping her then.  
  
"Phoebe, you can't go in there… There are five of them… most certainly armed…"  
  
"The five of them are probably butt naked and screwing those girls. They'll be too busy to bother us and a few more screams won't alert them. I'll make Reggie talk," she said with such cruelty that Cole recoiled.  
  
From an upstairs window, they could now distinctly hear the horsewhip and the screams from the poor girl. Cole had to admit that he also felt like hurting that man. However, he feared that all they would succeed in doing would be to get killed.  
  
"Phoebe," he tried again, "you've already got hurt. Please, let's get out of here. Paul and his men will take care of Reggie…"  
  
Phoebe ignored him and walked deliberately toward the door. At a loss for an alternative, Cole pulled his gun from the holster on his belt along with the stick he had kept tucked in it. Then he ran in front of her.  
  
"Alright, if you're intent on going through with this, I'll help you…" he said, albeit still uncertainly. Phoebe gave him a harsh quick glance, but she allowed him to go ahead nonetheless.  
  
Cole cautiously pulled on the door, which opened with a squeaky noise that made him wince. Inside, he saw a few lamps still burning, but no one seemed about. He stepped in and slowly walked through what appeared to be a very rustic sitting room. Bottles and glasses were strewn about on the floor, signs of a somewhat wild party. The piano they'd heard earlier was in a corner of that same room. He was just starting to relax when a loud groan coming from an adjacent room startled him. With renewed caution, he went toward the opened door. This was obviously the kitchen, and there, Cole saw a man with his trousers to his knees, leaning over a naked girl, who lied face down on a table. Only her torso rested on the table as the man was holding her legs apart on each side of him while he was pumping her energetically. Another loud groan escaped the man's lips even as Cole watched in fascination for a moment. However, a finger poking in his ribs got him out of it. He looked back at Phoebe with some irritation but still lifted the stick and quickly moved toward the man, hitting him hard at the base of his skull.  
  
The man fell at once on top of the girl but this one didn't even seem to notice. Instead, she moaned in what Cole estimated was her best professional imitation of pleasure. Rather than hurting her as well, he grabbed a rag from the nearby counter and quickly stuffed it in her mouth when she opened it to let out another useless groan. When she barely reacted, Cole thought that she must have been expecting some rough treatment. However, when he grabbed the unconscious man by the shoulders and pulled him off of her, she looked up and finally realized that something was wrong. Cole signalled for her to keep quiet as he showed her a rope. The girl stood up, fully naked but obviously used to showing her assets without shame. She caught sight of Phoebe, who was pointing a gun at her, and without protest, she extended her wrists toward Cole.  
  
"That's a girl," this one said, as he tied her up. Then, Cole looked around and spotted a large closet. He led her to it and afterward, he tied and gagged the man as well. Cole stuffed him in the closet in turn, which didn't please the girl at all. Ignoring her muffled protestations, he locked them in, blocking the door with an iron bar he found lying near the stove. Satisfied, he turned toward Phoebe. She was already on her way out of the kitchen by then and Cole hurried after her.  
  
They quickly surveyed the rest of the first floor but found no one else there. It was obvious that the rest of the party had moved upstairs. Cole again took the lead, clenching his teeth nervously for every squeak the steps made. However, as luck had it, no one seemed to notice. Phoebe took a look around as soon as she stepped on the landing. Then, without hesitation, she headed for the door at the end of the hallway. Cole guessed that like him, she had estimated where the screams had come from. Indeed, as they approached the room, another agonizing cry followed a loud whipping sound. Then they heard Reggie's voice through the door.  
  
"You better cooperate bitch, or it's gonna hurt an awful lot more."  
  
Phoebe's rage raised another notch at this. She was tempted to crash into the room, but Cole held on to her, as he had guessed at her intentions from the angry look in her eyes. It was easy for him to know what she was thinking because he felt just the same. Instead of following his first impulse, he went to the door and cracked it open. Through the slit, he witnessed a disgusting display. The girl was down on her hands and knees, on top of the bed. Her back was bleeding in places, obviously from the repeated hits of the whip. Even as he watched, Reggie hit her again, eliciting one more scream. However, this one was muffled, as the girl had her mouth around Lenny's shaft and he was jerking in it with his eyes closed. Meanwhile Reggie was deeply inside her ass and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the pain he was inflicting on her. She jerked forward, trying to get him off of her. Her buttocks were constricting nervously at the same time and Cole knew that she was probably desperate to get away from them. She finally pushed her hips down, effectively freeing herself from the penetration. However right way, Reggie lifted the whip over her and this time, he hit her rump violently. The poor girl let herself fall down on the bed, again trying to escape the harsh punishment. Cole had enough and, making sure that both men were concentrating on the girl, he pushed the door opened further and let himself in. Phoebe followed him in with a grimace of contempt. Reggie had again lifted the girl's buttocks up to his hips and was pushing himself inside of her while she moaned in pain. Lenny, for his part, was now stroking himself while holding her head up by her hair. Cole motioned for Phoebe to go around behind Reggie, while he went straight at Lenny. When he came into Reggie's field of vision, this one took a moment to react as he was still in the throes of his arousal. This is why Cole had time to hit Lenny across the face violently with the stick, sending him backward and against the iron headboard, where he hit the back of his head as well, effectively rendering him unconscious. Meanwhile, Reggie had found his voice.  
  
"Hey, who the hell…" he stopped with an intense surprise when he felt something cold and hard entering his ass deeply.  
  
"Hello Reggie," Phoebe announced almost casually "One word, one false move and your insides will look like mush while you squeal like a pig."  
  
Cole pulled the poor girl away from Reggie while this one stayed kneeling, immobile as a statue.  
  
"That's it… Now, face down!" Phoebe uttered harshly.  
  
Reggie slowly let himself down on the bed, while Phoebe kept the gun barrel deeply in his ass.  
  
"How does that feel, Reggie? Hey? Fun isn't it?"  
  
Cole saw the man grimace in anger, but he didn't say a word. Obviously, Reggie knew a thing or two about Phoebe's dispositions. Cole picked a length of rope and roughly pulled Reggie's arms behind his back, tying his wrists together until his skin was discolored. Reggie tried to struggle but Phoebe pushed the gun barrel deeper and he groaned as much in pain as in anger Then, Cole found some handkerchiefs on the dresser and stuffed them in his mouth, before Reggie could protest further. As soon as he was done, he picked up another length of rope and did the same to Lenny.  
  
In a corner of the room, the girl who had been molested by the two men was crouching, holding a sheet as her only covering. Phoebe wished that she could take care of her, but at this point, she was hell bent on punishing the monster in front of her. Cole came back to tie his legs and then he turned questioningly toward Phoebe.  
  
"Huh, I don't know what you have in mind… But I doubt if it would be healthy to stick around here. There are still a few men in this house, and we don't know if more are not coming. Not to mention McKail and his men…"  
  
Phoebe cast a suspicious glance his way.  
  
"I thought you wanted him to come here…"  
  
"Well, I'd really like for us to find this money before he does…Besides," Cole added, as he glared at the men tied up on the bed, "I'd like to be able to enjoy this where we won't be interrupted…"  
  
Phoebe suddenly let a wicked smile spread over her lips.  
  
"Hum, that's another side of you I hadn't suspected."  
  
"I often said that I can't stand men who molest women…These two have to be among the worst examples. They hurt you too, and I'll get some pleasure at hurting them in turn…"  
  
All of this was said very deliberately so that Reggie heard every word. Then Cole picked up the stick again and gave another questioning glance at Phoebe. This one nodded yes and he struck him on the back of the head, also rendering him unconscious.  
  
"Ok now…how do we get them out of here?"  
  
Phoebe turned toward the window and seemed to have an idea. She pulled the gun from Reggie's ass and went to the door.  
  
"Hey," Cole called to her.  
  
"Trust me…"  
  
"That's a loaded proposition," he grumbled while she left him alone with the others.  
  
Meanwhile, he found a thicker blanket in a closet, along with a few clean pieces of fabric, which he wet in a basin on the dresser. Then, he went toward the girl and offered to clean her wounds. At first, this one was still fearful and she tried to pull away from him. Cole smiled softly, trying to appease her worries.  
  
"It's ok, I won't hurt you, I promise. And I won't let them hurt you either…"  
  
The girl cast another worried glance toward Lenny and Reggie, and then she nodded toward Cole before exposing her back to him. Delicately, he began cleaning the lacerations. She was jumping every time he touched her, and for her pain, as well as Phoebe's, he swore that these men would pay dearly. When he was done, he offered the thick blanket to her, which she took gratefully. By then, it had been quite a while, and Cole began to wonder nervously about Phoebe. He was about to go look for her when he heard the distinctive sound of a carriage through the window. Curious, he went to it and looked down to find that Phoebe was lining up the carriage against the wall underneath him. She then grabbed a long rope and as soon as she was certain he was ready; she threw it at him. Cole missed it the first time, but got a hold of it the second time around.  
  
He didn't need Phoebe to explain what she wanted him to do. He tied up one end of the rope to the bed post, and then went on to tie the other around Reggie's waist. Without wait, he picked him up and carried him toward the window, where at great efforts; he lowered him toward the carriage. As soon as this was done, Phoebe undid the rope from around Reggie and Cole repeated the manoeuvre for Lenny. In a sweat now, he turned toward the girl and told her to leave this place if she knew what was good for her. He also assured her that she would be avenged.  
  
Before leaving, he undid the rope from the bedpost and threw it back through the window. Cautiously, he went out of the room and threaded as quietly as possible, unwilling to face another one of them if that was at all possible. Downstairs, he went back to the kitchen, and released the first girl, giving her the same advice he had given to the other one. Without protest, the girl followed the other out of the house after having picked up her clothing, which had been thrown on the kitchen floor.  
  
When Cole finally rejoined with Phoebe, and in spite of what he had said about hurting them, his balls actually retracted in revulsion at what she had done. Both men had been naked in the bedroom and still were. Phoebe had laid them head to toes, so to speak, but in fact it was more like head to crotches. The two men were still unconscious and she had tied them facing each other. Then she had obviously removed the gags, replacing those with the men's shafts. The way they looked now, each of them had his partner's dick in his mouth, and they were held tight with the rope, so that there wouldn't be any way for them to free themselves were they to wake up. Cole looked away with a slight feeling of nausea.  
  
"What? Not good?" Phoebe joked before taking her place on the front seat.  
  
Cole refused to comment and, after giving another look around to make sure no one was after them, he took his place on the seat and snapped the reins, sending the carriage off into the desert and in the opposite direction to the town.  
  
When they had gone a few hundred feet, Cole questioned Phoebe uneasily.  
  
"Did you really have to do that?"  
  
Phoebe looked straight ahead, but he couldn't mistake the mockery in her voice when she spoke.  
  
"Hey, if they bite each other's dicks off, we won't have to worry about them molesting anyone else, ever…"  
  
The thought was so revolting to him that he almost threw up. Taking a few deep breaths, he resolved to look at their prisoners as little as necessary until they were out of this awkward position. However, he had to admit that they deserved every bit of scorn from Phoebe. What made him really uncomfortable however was the thought that he deserved some too. As they went, his remorse deepened, but he couldn't find the words to express how sorry he actually was. On the other hand, he questioned her again about her wound.  
  
"Phoebe, are you sure that you're gonna be ok?"  
  
Phoebe didn't answer right away, and for a moment he wondered if she even heard him.  
  
"I'll be fine; nothing to worry about…"  
  
"But I do worry Phoebe. I…I can't stand to see you hurt."  
  
"Maybe you should've thought of that before you lied to me," Phoebe replied bitterly.  
  
"You say that as if I had hurt your feelings. Wouldn't you need to feel something for me for that to happen…?" Cole questioned hesitantly.  
  
Phoebe glared at him then and he didn't insist. Phoebe almost told him but thought better of admitting to him how much he had truly hurt her. Even at this, she still wished that she could lean against him and feel his warmth against her skin. She chastised herself, knowing that this would be the worse idea under the circumstances. Instead, she resumed staring forward and didn't comment. They stayed silent afterward, making their steady way into the desert.  
  
It had been a few hours and the sun was already up when a moan coming from behind them announced that at least one of their prisoners was coming to. Phoebe turned toward them and was stunned by what she saw. She almost laughed out loud then. Reggie was obviously beginning to wake up and he was struggling against his bounds. However, the truly funny thing was when she looked at Lenny. He still seemed unconscious, or rather semi conscious, as he was sucking on Reggie's dick. Phoebe actually thought that Reggie was getting aroused and she found it even more hilarious. Meanwhile, Reggie struggled against the rope, but, try as he might, he couldn't get away from his very humiliating situation. He still growled and pulled harder, until he realized that it wouldn't do him any good. Then, he did the only thing left for him to do and bit hard on Lenny's dick. This one uttered an agonizing scream only muffled by the man's shaft still stuffed in his mouth. He tried to pull away from his tormentor, but to no avail, while his scream became a low continuous groan. This caught Cole's attention as well, and when he looked back, the spectacle gave him another bout of nausea. It looked even worse in the full light of day.  
  
"Phoebe… don't you think it's time to…end this…"  
  
"You're not getting squeamish on me, are you?"  
  
The teasing look in her eyes told him that she understood very well what bothered him.  
  
"Alright, I have to admit that this is very uncomfortable for me…If you were trying to make me feel bad, well…you've succeeded. Happy?"  
  
"Trust me on this, they feel a lot worse than you…although…until a moment ago, Lenny seemed to be enjoying himself," she added with obvious glee. "Hell, maybe he always wanted this…although now, his dick must be throbbing like hell…"  
  
She gave another look toward the back and she saw that both men's buttocks were constricting nervously, as they tried again to get away from each other.  
  
"You know though, it still looks like too much fun for them…You're right, let's try to make them talk…"  
  
Cole halted the carriage and at great efforts, he made himself go to the back with Phoebe.  
  
  
  
Just before the crack of dawn, Paul and ten of his men arrived at the ranch. Cautiously, Paul sent his team around the perimeter, effectively encircling it. Paul then gave a closer look at the surroundings and became very puzzled. He had half expected to find Phoebe and Cole dead in the courtyard or somewhere around the ranch. Instead, he couldn't even see the sentinels. He wondered then if they hadn't given up on the money and ran away, although this seemed unlike Phoebe. Even as he watched, a man came out of the house, looking around with the same obvious puzzlement as Paul. He then went straight to the shack where Paul had seen the bags and soon started screaming invectives while coming back toward the house in a hurry. Those screams alerted another one, who in turn came out along with a barely dressed girl with red hair. The second man gave a scornful look toward the girl and pushed her back inside, while the other obviously explained to him what had happened. When Paul looked back toward the shack, he saw one of his own men, moving cautiously in with his gun in hand. He was signalling about something behind the shack, while watching the two men still deep in conversation. Two more of his men were now coming from behind the house and also closing in on the gangsters with guns in hand. Paul worried about who was left inside, although the two gang members didn't make any move to get back in. Paul got the distinct impression that those two were the only ones still around, along with the girl. He wondered angrily if Phoebe and Cole had not alerted Reggie, but at this point, he figured that their best bet was to arrest those who were left and question them. He got out of his hiding place, and waved his arm for his men. Without hesitation, these quickly went to the gangsters and grabbed them before they had a chance to riposte. While one of his team members threatened them with his gun, the other two cautiously entered the house. Paul waited anxiously, and soon saw them coming out with the girl and a man tied and gagged, but no one else. One of his men signalled to him in the negative.  
  
"Damn it," Paul exclaimed loudly when he saw that none of them was Reggie. He walked quickly toward their prisoners, but before he had the chance to question them, a couple more of his men pulled the three other gagged and bound gangsters from behind the shack. With a vague hope, Paul went toward these, but again found that none of them was Reggie. One was in very bad shape, obviously beaten to a pulp and he was still unconscious, while the other two were struggling against the ropes, albeit weakly. He gave a closer look at the one who had been beaten, but he knew right away that it couldn't be Reggie either. The hair and general appearance were all wrong. Paul grunted irritably then. Although he didn't expect to find anything there anymore, he still went to the shack and found the same thing as Phoebe and Cole had during the night with another exclamation of rage.  
  
Phil, one of his most trusted men, entered the shack behind him and looked around with the same appalled expression as Paul. After a moment where he kept silent, knowing his boss very well, he asked with visible disbelief:  
  
"How many of them were there?"  
  
Paul knew that he was referring to the attackers and he sneered.  
  
"Only two…" he trailed then.  
  
Phil gave him an astounded look but didn't comment. Instead:  
  
"We found tracks from a carriage leading into the desert…Looks to be only a few hours old…"  
  
Paul looked up at this and seemed pleased.  
  
"Well, well, well. Let's not lose time and follow these tracks, shall we. Five men with me, you take the others and have a…serious talk with the prisoners."  
  
Phil smiled cruelly.  
  
"Yes sir," he said before leaving the shack.  
  
Paul gave another dejected look at the rocks spread on the floor.  
  
"Don't count me out just yet, Phoebe," he uttered under his breath before going out in turn. 


	12. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 12)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter XII  
  
  
  
Cole averted his eyes as he extended his hands hesitantly toward the revolting amalgam of skin and hair the two men looked like to him. He had almost worked the nerve to grab them when Phoebe put a firm hand on his forearm.  
  
"Wait," she uttered, and then Cole was certain that the groan coming from them was caused by their desperately wanting off each other. At least, that's what he would've have been thinking, he was certain of it.  
  
"Come on, Phoebe, I thought we agreed it was enough…"  
  
Rather than answering, she pulled on his arm to force him away from the carriage.  
  
"Look back there," she said then, indicating a point to their left.  
  
Cole squinted against the already blazing sun and thought that he could see some vegetation.  
  
"A waterhole," he questioned while looking back at her.  
  
"I think so, but there's more…"  
  
He frowned in wonderment as Phoebe went back to the front of the carriage without explaining herself.  
  
"What do you mean," he finally called to her.  
  
Phoebe glanced at the men in the carriage with a wicked smile that gave Cole a slight chill before she answered.  
  
"Come on, you'll see…"  
  
Still avoiding looking at the men, he slowly made his way back to the front seat.  
  
"You're enjoying this way too much," Cole reproached half-heartedly, as he turned the carriage toward the patch of vegetation.  
  
"Hey," Phoebe protested mildly, "I thought we'd agreed they deserved some punishment."  
  
"By this, I meant punching them…I never thought we'd play a sadistic game like…"  
  
Cole stopped short and this time his eyes widened when he saw what Phoebe had referred to as something more. In the receding distance, he could see tall cactuses with strange shapes, along with small weakling trees. However, what really caught his attention and almost had him noxious again was the thick brush of small spiny cactuses that lay around the taller ones. It almost looked like a dark green mini jungle, and a very uninviting one at this. "Phoebe," he uttered under his breath, "you're the devil in disguise…"  
  
Phoebe chuckled and was very satisfied to hear some fear in the men's groans behind her. Meanwhile, Cole's imagination played dirty tricks on him as he thought he could feel those spines prickling him painfully. "Phoebe…you can't be serious…" he added uncertainly.  
  
"Hey, that'll give them something to…..scream about…"  
  
Suddenly, Cole thought that the ordeal they had been through didn't look so bad anymore. Maybe it was this comparison, or the fact that when he finally deign looking at them again, he met Lenny's very scared eyes over Reggie's ass. He knew that what she had planned was utterly sadistic, but he couldn't help the hilarity of their situation from hitting him hard then. Once he got past the disgusting display, seeing Lenny like this gave him the idea that in fact, this man deserved to be where he was; which was inches from his partner's ass. Cole started chuckling at first in little bursts, and then he positively exploded, laughing uncontrollably. Phoebe turned to him uncertainly at this point.  
  
"Hey, I thought you said I was the evil one?"  
  
Cole couldn't seem to stop laughing, not even to say a word. He could barely manage to keep the horses in line. Behind them, the prisoners were struggling harder than ever, possibly more scared by this laughter than any threat they could've received. Even with her side hurting as she did, the contagious laughter gained on Phoebe and they were soon both laughing, while Reggie and Lenny's anxiety level rose exponentially. As Cole tried to find his voice again, he'd also found that something else was rather funny. Something that had not seemed so hilarious until now… Yet, as he looked back on his own humiliation, he saw it for what it truly was. Phoebe had said it best. Had it not been for his damn pride, he wouldn't have been in any danger except from ridicule. In hindsight, he understood at last that everything had started from there.  
  
"I'm sorry Phoebe," he uttered through the receding giggles, "I was the stupid one…"  
  
"What?" Phoebe questioned, totally dumbfounded.  
  
"I…when you did that to me, I saw myself going home and having not only to admit that a small woman like you had thwarted me; but that I'd also have to live with the fact that everyone would know how. I could almost hear my old man's laughter, and frankly that's what enraged me. I thought if I took my revenge on you, it'd make up for it. I know you'll never forgive me for that, but I'm still sorry," he added, while a disturbing sorrow threatened to overcome his present hilarity. By then, it wasn't those men behind him he was laughing at, but rather at his own stupid pride.  
  
Phoebe wasn't answering and in fact, she wasn't laughing anymore. When he glanced at her, he saw that she seemed uncertain. Cole wondered about that and then decided to lighten things up again.  
  
"If I grovelled at your feet begging for forgiveness, do you think you could throw me a bone here?"  
  
Phoebe felt another urge to laugh coming at this. "Nah," she said with obvious amusement in her voice, "then you'd want me to get on my knees and do the same."  
  
"I could think of something infinitely more satisfying for you to do in that position."  
  
Phoebe was startled by his rowdiness, and without even thinking she slapped him hard across the face. She wasn't so put off by the sexual allusion, which in reality didn't surprise or shock her in any way, but rather disappointed that he would do so when she had begun to believe in his sincere apology. For a second, she wondered if he would respond in kind, but after a slight hesitation, his smile returned as he massaged his cheek.  
  
"I deserved that…"  
  
There it was again, Phoebe thought. That darn smile that melted her insides. What's more, this time she knew it was sincere.  
  
"Yes you did," she replied mockingly.  
  
His smile slowly vanished as he questioned much more seriously.  
  
"Phoebe, I know I'm not too good at this apology business. Heck I'm an ass at it, but could you?"  
  
"Could I what?"  
  
Cole shifted position uncomfortably then.  
  
"I mean…could you ever forgive me… in time maybe…"  
  
Phoebe hesitated and again, the sorrow threatened to invade him.  
  
"Maybe," she finally conceded…  
  
Then, she deposited a soft kiss on the cheek she'd hit earlier.  
  
"Maybe I will," she whispered afterward. Her lips lingered there and he couldn't help the urge to try kissing her, but before he did so, she added:  
  
"You must be one hell of a lawyer…"  
  
"I like to think so," Cole responded huskily.  
  
At this, Phoebe felt the doubts coming back and she tried to pull away, but he didn't give her the chance. Dropping the reins, he grabbed her neck and pulled her to him, crushing his lips against hers. In that moment, she even forgot why she had become upset as she responded. Only the carriage stopping on its own reminded them of where they were.  
  
Even then, they barely pulled away from each other and Phoebe whispered.  
  
"You know counsellor; you really have a way with your mouth…"  
  
Cole chuckled:  
  
"In more ways than one…Although, I have to learn to choose my words more carefully," he added with renewed amusement.  
  
"You've got that right," Phoebe replied, but thankfully just as amused, he thought.  
  
Phoebe reluctantly looked back at the prisoners with a sigh and a sly smile.  
  
"Torture first," she said loudly for them, and then when she turned back toward Cole, her voice softened as she finished, "fun later…"  
  
"Right!"  
  
Only then, Cole glanced at the front of the carriage and understood why the horses had stopped. They had ridden all the way to the water hole and were now leaning toward the offered water, which lied just out of their reach. Before allowing the horses to drink however, Phoebe and Cole went to get some of the lukewarm liquid themselves. It wasn't very tasty, but it still felt good after the dry desert. Not to mention their bout of hilarity… Then, after letting the horses go to the water, Cole pulled Phoebe some distance from the carriage.  
  
The thick cactus brush was mere feet from them, and Cole stared at it with a grimace before addressing his concern.  
  
"Ok babe…I've kind of figured out what you had in mind…but…"  
  
"Look, Cole…," Phoebe began in a low voice. "Reggie is a tough cookie. It's gonna take more than a few punches to make him talk, trust me…"  
  
The reminder of Reggie's roughness also brought back to him what Phoebe must have endured at the hands of this monster. It quashed his good mood as he bent closer.  
  
"Phoebe…I know that he hurt you bad too…"  
  
"Don't worry about that," Phoebe dismissed. "You'd be surprised what a person can learn to endure… Those marks you saw on my back…yeah, he did whip me. But that wasn't the worst that's ever happened to me. It's not why I was so angry earlier…I could take it, but I couldn't stand that he was hurting someone who couldn't…"  
  
All the while, Cole's expression became more incredulous.  
  
"Phoebe, you can't seriously say that being whipped by this beast was nothing. I could twist his neck," Cole added angrily.  
  
"Hey," she interrupted soothingly, "what I have in mind is a much harsher retribution…and so is the fact that we'll take his money. I'm not sure which will hurt more; the spines in his balls, of the thought that I'll spend his gold while he rots in jail…"  
  
Cole sighed uncertainly, but soon a wicked smile spread over his lips in turn.  
  
"You're right…let's have some fun here…What do we do first?"  
  
"Well," Phoebe trailed as she glanced to the back of the carriage, "we should start by disorienting them a little. Some good old fashioned humiliation along with blinding them should do the trick…"  
  
Cole frowned uncertainly, but then, he decided that he didn't wanna know.  
  
"It's your party…"  
  
"Nope," Phoebe replied with a wicked smile of her own, "it's our party…"  
  
Cole grimaced in disgust as he had a good idea of the nature of her plan. Nevertheless, he followed her toward the carriage.  
  
Meanwhile, ever since they had halted, Reggie and Lenny had redoubled their struggle, fearing what was to come and their inability to do anything about it. Reggie had been tempted to bite Lenny's dick again, taking a modicum of satisfaction in the pain he would inflict on him. However by then, Lenny had closed his teeth around his shaft, and Reggie knew that, was he to try, this time he would suffer the same fate. Instead, they both started rolling toward the back of the carriage and they finally managed to fall off just as Phoebe and Cole arrived. Phoebe couldn't help laughing again at their predicament, since this had only hurt them and done nothing to improve their situation. Now that their prisoners were out of the carriage, Cole gave a better look at it and saw two packs lined up toward the front. He was vaguely surprised to see that one of those was his. Phoebe was already on her way toward these and she soon pulled two scarves from the other pack. Then, she took the knife out of her boot and came back toward the bound gangsters.  
  
Swiftly, she tied the scarves over their eyes, effectively blinding them. Their grunting became louder then. Using the knife on the rope that held Reggie against Lenny's crotch, she cut it at once. This one felt the release immediately and he pulled away, coughing and spitting in disgust, as his jaws seemed to be made of wood to him. Then he turned his head up toward where he thought Phoebe still stood.  
  
"You bitch, when I'm done with you, you're gonna beg me to kill you. I'll tear you apart with my bare teeth, starting with your cunt."  
  
Cole had had enough and kicked him hard in the mouth. Blood spurted out as Reggie felt that a few of his front teeth had come loose.  
  
"Shut up," Cole growled. "You're only allowed to talk if you tell us where you hid the money. Anything else and I'll be the one tearing you apart slowly…and trust me," Cole added coldly while leaning toward Reggie, "by the time I'm done with you, you'll have to suck your steaks…"  
  
When Reggie tried to protest, Cole illustrated his point by hitting him again. This time, Reggie grunted in pain, while one of the loosened teeth fell off and he had to spit it out.  
  
Cole then pushed him on his back which brought Lenny on top of him along with the offending crotch. This he couldn't see but he felt it against his face with another grunt of disgust. Meanwhile, Phoebe was leaning toward Lenny and whispering in his ears.  
  
Without freeing him, she then moved toward his backside and pressed the knife against his dick.  
  
"Now Lenny, we wouldn't want poor Reggie to miss one last thrill before losing his dick. I'm not that cruel. You started something, and it's time to finish it."  
  
Lenny tried again to pull away, but this time, Phoebe put the point of the knife on him and drew a drop of blood at the base of his shaft. Lenny howled as much in fear as in pain. His legs were shaking and Phoebe thought that she saw a few drops of pee coming out and falling on Reggie's face.  
  
"I said suck, Lenny…"  
  
Reggie finally understood what she had in mind, even as he felt Lenny sucking slowly on his shaft.  
  
"No! Get him off of me!"  
  
Cole came closer in spite of his feeling really squeamish at Phoebe's idea of fun, and he put his booted foot on Reggie's mouth.  
  
"I thought I said to shut up."  
  
Reggie tried to get away, but Lenny was still bound to him in as tight a position as before. Meanwhile, Phoebe thought this was getting too long.  
  
"Oh come on Lenny, you can do better than that, we don't have all day."  
  
Phoebe traced the length of his shaft with the pointed edge, and Lenny bit on his partner's dick in reaction to the pain. Reggie howled in turn, but his scream was muffled by Cole's boot still on his mouth.  
  
'Now, now, that's not the way to get a hard on from a man," Phoebe mocked. "If you want to keep your dick, Lenny, you better get to work…"  
  
Almost crying, Lenny started sucking harder on the throbbing shaft, while Reggie tried again to scream invectives. In the end though, Lenny felt noxious and he threw up in Reggie's crotch.  
  
"Ah well," Phoebe said at last, releasing him in turn, "it was for a good cause, but I'll enjoy cutting your dick first, Lenny…"  
  
As he fell on his back, Phoebe distinctly saw him pee himself with a smile of satisfaction.  
  
"But we're in no hurry," she pursued, "are we Cowboy?"  
  
The two men were still bound by their arms and legs and Cole picked up Reggie by his legs without answering. He then dragged him toward the brush and pushed him face down into the cactuses before Reggie could realize what was happening. If he had thought that the bite hurt, this was pure agony. Spines were plunging all over his front side, including his dick and his balls while he screamed again, and then Cole pushed him further down with his foot.  
  
"I bet right now you wish he'd bit it off, don't you," Cole mocked.  
  
"I'll get you for this," Reggie uttered between clenched teeth, while trying to keep from screaming.  
  
Cole pushed harder at this.  
  
"You really have a problem with instructions don't you?"  
  
Lenny got even more scared at hearing his boss' screams and desperately tried to crawl away. However he had no idea which way to go and ended up moving toward the brush as well. Phoebe decided to help him along by picking up the whip used for the horses and snapping it harshly on his thighs. Immediately, Lenny tried to go faster, and Phoebe hit him again, on his buttock this time, leaving a satisfying red mark on it.  
  
Soon Lenny was crawling onto the first cactuses and he stopped there when he realized what he had done. He tried to get off of them, but Phoebe redoubled the lashing and he couldn't decide which was worse, staying there and screaming with tears in his eyes. In the end however, Phoebe decided that she had a better solution for Lenny. After she stopped hitting him, Lenny stayed in the same position, halfway inside the brush.  
  
Phoebe knew that he simply was trying to avoid more lashing and that suited her fine since she needed some time to prepare. She went to the nearest tree and cut a long and thick branch off of it. Then she proceeded to sharpen both ends of the wooden stick. When she was done, she went with the stick and a rope to one of the tall cactuses, which was a typical trident looking one. She then snaked the rope around the opposite branch and the trunk. After this, she planted the stick in the ground at an angle and when she was satisfied, she went back toward Lenny and the others. The former was still very immobile and, only for kicks, she snapped the whip beside his face, eliciting another grunt of fright.  
  
When Cole saw her coming back, he removed his foot from Reggie's back and this one immediately tried to move away from the uncomfortable position, only to roll onto more spines. He saw the uselessness of trying to escape when Phoebe hit him in turn with the whip, sending him rolling further inside the brush. By the time he stopped, he knew that he must have spines all over because he felt each and every one like as many small daggers piercing his skin.  
  
"Hey Reggie," Phoebe taunted, "that's a new look for you…well done porcupine…"  
  
She laughed at her own joke, while pulling Cole away from them for some regrouping. As she spoke, Cole began exclaiming loudly.  
  
"You can't mean that? No way Phoebe!"  
  
"I said that we're doing it and that's that. You want the money don't you," Phoebe uttered just as loud.  
  
"Hey I thought you were joking earlier. This is getting serious…"  
  
"You bet your ass it is," Phoebe replied before going toward Lenny and kicking him in the ass. Of course, he had heard every word, but was still not expecting her there so that it made the hit all the more painful and scary. Again, he tried to escape her but only planted a few more spines in his stomach in doing so, screaming anew. He stopped moving, bracing himself for another hit, but instead, he felt himself being pulled away by the legs. The blindfold was still firmly in place and he had no idea where they were going.  
  
"What are you gonna do to me," he asked fearfully. "Let go of me, I don't know anything. Please, don't…"  
  
Before he could continue, one of his tormentors had turned him on his back roughly and he feared that it was the end for him as he felt something moving over his midsection. Surprisingly though, instead of the pain he expected, he sensed that the bounds on his legs were removed. Lenny tried to pull away, hoping to make a run for it, but the whip hit his bottom hard when he tried to get up.  
  
"Don't move," Phoebe shouted harshly. Soon, he was dragged for another short distance, and the rope returned on his calves, although this time, his legs were bound separately. As he was pulled again, he felt the spiny trunk of a cactus scraping the insides of his legs and braced himself for the worse, as his legs were pushed apart and then tied together again beyond the cactus. He knew that the spines were mere inches from his crotch and shook in fear that he would be pulled further.  
  
"Please Phoebe," Lenny cried, "please; I swear to you, I don't know anything. Reggie didn't tell me where the money is. If you gotta, shoot me… but don't cut me up like a piece of meat…"  
  
The voice of the male answered instead.  
  
"That's really too bad, Lenny," Cole said, as he put a rope around Lenny's neck and pulled on it until the noose was tight under his chin, "I wish I could help you, but Phoebe is hell bent on cutting you up. She doesn't care whether you know something or not. She just wants you to scream and scare Reggie."  
  
Lenny wondered if he couldn't sway this one, since he seemed so much more squeamish, although the way Cole pulled him up with his crotch scraping on the trunk, he had his doubts. Still, he was desperate.  
  
"Please man, you gotta help me. I know you don't want her to do that. Put a bullet in my head instead…Even if I knew something and I told you, Reggie would do even worse to me…"  
  
"I'm sorry, really, but think of it this way. What worse than sawing your dick can he do?"  
  
"W…what?"  
  
"Oh did I forget to mention the screams? That crazy bitch is dulling my best blade right now…she wants it to take some time. See, the longer it takes, the more you'll scream…the more likely she'll get Reggie to talk before she saws his…I hope you'll pass out soon…I really wouldn't wanna be you. My balls hurt just thinking about it…"  
  
Lenny shook as much from exhaustion as from fear and for a moment, he considered letting the rope hang him. However, when he tried to let himself go down, a sharp object entered his ass, making him howl again.  
  
"Oh boy…it's your choice really, if you want to impale yourself. But I heard that pierced intestines hurt even more than being cut…she's thorough…and don't expect to hang before the pain starts. The babe was very precise in her instructions. No choking. Wouldn't do since she wants you alive and…screaming. It'll only hurt like hell and you'll take hours to die. By then of course, she'll have added the pain of cutting your dick and your balls."  
  
Cole watched the man actually crying in abject fear as he tried to get away from the stick only to press his crotch on the spines. He had to look away as he truly felt the man's pain echoing uncomfortably in his loins.  
  
Once he was certain that Lenny would have something to think about for a while, he went back toward Phoebe who was really sharpening his razor blade.  
  
"Phoebe," he whispered, "you don't seriously wanna do this…"  
  
"Don't worry; I'll just perform a little surgery on him. Heck, I did it on another guy before. He had a little infection and needed to have a piece removed. Of course, he was loaded with whisky at the time."  
  
Cole opened wide eyes at this, again wondering why he still felt like risking precious parts of his anatomy in her hands…yet, he did. His mind was already wandering on some more pleasant activities when he caught sight of her bloody shirt again. This brought him right back to reality.  
  
"Phoebe, you haven't let me take care of this wound yet."  
  
"I told you that it was nothing…"  
  
"Do I have to use the same argument you used on me?"  
  
Phoebe frowned, trying to remember. Then when it came to her, an amused smile floated on her lips.  
  
"Somehow, I don't think you'd leave me behind…"  
  
"Does that mean you trust me again?"  
  
"It means I'm beginning to…"  
  
"I guess that's the best I can hope for… But I'd still prefer taking care of this. Those guys need to simmer a little longer, don't they?"  
  
A cry coming from Lenny got their attention, but they saw that he had simply lost his balance and fallen on the stick again. Even as they watched, he moved back up, albeit on evermore shaky legs."  
  
"Well, not too long," Phoebe agreed grudgingly, "I don't think he can take much more of this…You're sure he can't actually get killed on that thing?"  
  
"I made sure it would only enter a couple inches up his ass. More than enough to hurt, but he'll live…"  
  
"Alright then…"  
  
Cole pulled a clean shirt from his pack and grabbed her hand. Phoebe gave another look toward Reggie, but this one was now totally entangled into the cactuses. She figured he wouldn't go anywhere for a few minutes and, after dropping the now very sharp razor blade on her own pack, she allowed Cole to drag her away.  
  
The silence was even scarier for Lenny. He found that if he moved aside, the stick was only touching his ass cheek, but he was in such unbalance, with his legs tied on the other side, that he was continuously falling back in the wrong position. As if that wasn't enough, the next voice he heard was Reggie's.  
  
"Lenny! If you tell her anything, what she'll do to you is nothing in comparison to my wrath…I'll find you and I'll make sure that your agony is gonna last for days…"  
  
Lenny swallowed hard and didn't answer. However, from their spot besides the water, Cole and Phoebe heard it as well.  
  
"I hope that your plan works, Phoebe…and frankly, I almost hope for poor Lenny's sake that McKail gets here before Reggie starts working on him…"  
  
"They'll probably both hang soon anyway…" Phoebe replied, while pulling her shirt up to expose her wound. Cole wet the fabric in the water and proceeded to clean the fortunately superficial wound. Still, he felt bad for what happened.  
  
"I wish I could've prevented this…" he said softly.  
  
"It wasn't your fault and remember, I saw the other guy," Phoebe said then with a little smile.  
  
Cole smiled as well and then bent toward her side, kissing the soft skin beside the knife wound. When she didn't move away, he continued depositing light kisses, going up to the tender skin of her breasts. Delicately, he pushed the shirt further up, exposing her bosom, while she exhaled contentedly at his touch.  
  
"Phoebe…" His voice sounded like a caress to her and when he gently lowered her, Phoebe didn't resist, even though she still had doubts. It felt so good to just let it happen. He was now sucking on her nipple, and for each new stroke, a wave of delightful shivers coursed through her body, while at the same time her hips were already moving invitingly. Phoebe ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him to her, and was unpleasantly surprised when he stopped and escaped her grasp. For a moment she thought that something happened with their prisoners and tried her best to steady her senses.  
  
Then she looked up and saw that Cole was only gazing at her.  
  
"What is it," Phoebe questioned with some distress.  
  
"I'm sorry…" he answered, peeling his eyes off of her but still making no move to leave.  
  
Phoebe sat up abruptly.  
  
"Sorry for what? You know, for a guy who is not good at apologies, you're using that word left and right lately."  
  
Cole irritably made a snapping sound with his lips while he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hey, I'm trying to do the right thing here. Would you please…?"  
  
"The right thing? You get me all hot and then you leave me hanging…How's that supposed to be the right thing?"  
  
Sighing, he still tried to explain:  
  
"Look Phoebe, I apologized earlier for having abused your trust…and we both know how I did it…No matter how sincere I am now, you'll still wonder if I didn't apologize just to get in your pants as you put it…I don't want you to think that…"  
  
"Not even if I said I won't?" Phoebe replied in a little baby voice that made him look back.  
  
Phoebe was smiling teasingly and, if at first he was tempted to feel offended, he resisted it, instead giving in to her playful attitude. An amused smile formed on his lips then.  
  
"You're the devil, you know that?"  
  
"Yeah you told me that twice today. I'm getting the picture."  
  
Cole felt another urge to kiss her right then, but again he resisted it and somehow, surprisingly enough, he felt better about himself. Not that the urge wasn't still very powerful, he had to admit, but he was convinced that this little abstinence would bring up their level of mutual trust. Indeed, at this moment, he truly wanted her to trust him.  
  
"You know it's strange," he said aloud.  
  
"What's that," Phoebe questioned more seriously.  
  
"I hardly ever refused anything for myself…but right now, even if I want you more than ever, I also feel better about myself than ever before…how weird is that?"  
  
"Speak for yourself," Phoebe answered with a grin.  
  
Cole wasn't too sure how he should take that, until she came to him and brushed her lips against his.  
  
"Now then…If I understand this well, you're saying that you won't try to seduce me because you wanna feel good about yourself… but if it wasn't for that, we'd be having the time of our lives right now. Is that it? So… what about if I'm the one seducing you?" Phoebe uttered suggestively, before pressing her lips harder against his.  
  
Phoebe's mouth was now exploring his tauntingly and he knew then that abstinence was highly overrated. Giving in altogether, he encircled her waist and pulled her tight against him, while their kiss deepened. He was already impatiently reaching for the soft skin under her shirt when a cynical laughter startled them both. Looking up, Cole found himself staring at a very irate Reggie, who was holding the sharp razor blade toward them. Cole pushed Phoebe behind him while silently cursing his own stupidity. Then he tried to get up and reach for the gun at his belt, but Reggie was faster and pressed the blade against his throat.  
  
"Not a move Cowboy… Now you, the little lady and I will have words…" he uttered harshly while Cole felt warm liquid dripping down his neck and had no trouble guessing it was his own blood with a hint of panic. 


	13. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 13)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter XIII  
  
Cole wondered how Reggie had managed to get out of his predicament so quickly, but at the moment, it wasn't the foremost thought on his mind. The blade was pressing harder on his throat and even if he believed that Reggie might prefer taking his revenge rather than killing him on the spot, he realized that he might still do it and then go after Phoebe. This thought brought him another urge to get his gun, even if it meant dying. However, Reggie anticipated it and quickly pulled the revolver out of his belt. He immediately pointed it at Phoebe's head.  
  
"Now, that's more like it," Reggie snickered.  
  
"What Reggie," Phoebe taunted suddenly, flooring Cole, "you think you got me scared…Did you take a good look at yourself lately. You're a bloody wreck."  
  
"Shut up, bitch!"  
  
"Why? You could never shut me up before. Besides, I've got a right to say a few last words… See Reggie, you could kill me, torture me…or him… but when I die I'll have the satisfaction to know that you'll never forget me…every time you try to take a piss or dip your dick, it's gonna hurt and you'll know it was all thanks to me…"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Oh you didn't think of that," Phoebe added mockingly, while staring at his crotch. "Yeah, those spines they'll stay there, unless you cut your balls open to get them out, Reggie. In fact, you might actually try that, but I'm sure there isn't enough whisky in the world to drown that pain. Not to mention that you'd probably never get it up again. So yeah, shoot me, Reggie, but don't expect to ever be rid of me."  
  
All this time, Cole had come back from his surprise to finally understand what she was getting at. First of all, Reggie was getting angry and careless, probably because he wondered if she was telling the truth, and Cole also noticed that he was shaking from the pain. In fact the more Phoebe talked, the lighter the pressure from the razor got, as Reggie's full attention was turning to her. Second, her reference to Reggie's crotch had a meaning. Only moving his eyes, he looked straight at it in turn and saw the spines half buried in his nuts. He knew that this could backfire on him, but at this point, if he didn't do something their deaths would be infinitely more painful than a slashed throat. Quashing the fear and disgust he felt, he suddenly grabbed Reggie's balls and squeezed as hard as he could. In doing so, he also hurt himself on the spines, but it hurt Reggie a lot more as he jumped with a howl of surprise and renewed pain. Without hesitation, Cole pulled hard on them and Reggie fell on his back screaming anew, while he tried to hack at Cole's arm. This one barely avoided the blade, but meanwhile, Reggie was already aligning the gun toward him. Cole believed it to be the end, but Phoebe kicked the gun out of Reggie's hand and then put a firm foot on his forearm. Cole caught Reggie's other arm in a firm grip and then sat on his legs to keep him from kicking, while he twisted the blade out of his hand. Phoebe bent quickly toward the gun then, and just as fast, she buried the barrel inside Reggie's mouth.  
  
Struggling furiously, Reggie mumbled something and when Phoebe bent slightly closer to hear, he managed to free his arm from Cole's grip and grabbed her by the hair. Before she could react however, Cole slashed Reggie's arm with the razor blade he had taken from him and this one lost his grip. Phoebe angrily ground the arm still under her foot into the sand while glaring at him. For a few seconds they all stayed immobile and only when Phoebe was certain that Reggie knew he was made, did she bend toward him again, pulling the gun out a few inches.  
  
"Now… what is it you have to say before I blow your brains out, Reggie?"  
  
"If you kill me, you'll never find my money. I'll be the one laughing from the grave…" Reggie managed to grumble in spite of the gun barrel still in his mouth.  
  
"Hey Reggie, we heard you saying that Lenny knows where the gold is," Phoebe goaded then, "…and I'm sure that he'll be very cooperative…"  
  
A smirk came upon Reggie's features at this.  
  
"Good bloody luck," he said, obviously very satisfied with himself.  
  
Cole and Phoebe both got a sinking feeling from that. They had counted on tricking Reggie in telling them where the gold was with Lenny's help, or at least to get Lenny to fess up himself. However if, as they now feared, Reggie had killed Lenny… Cole irately grabbed Reggie and turned him face down. Then, he kicked his ass hard.  
  
"Crawl…and fast!" Cole growled then.  
  
Reggie didn't move at first but after a few more kicks, he got on hands and knees, grudgingly moving forward. Meanwhile, Phoebe gave the revolver to Cole and ran ahead. She found exactly what she'd feared. Reggie had used Lenny's blindness to get close enough without alerting him. This was why they hadn't heard a thing, along with the fact that he'd stuffed the scarf that they used on him in Lenny's mouth. Then, he had slashed his belly opened. Now, Lenny was twitching at the end of the rope with his insides hanging out. Repressing the urge to retch, Phoebe went straight at him and pulled the gag out of his mouth. Lenny barely reacted and only whimpered. Phoebe knew that his time was short and she tried to get him to talk before it was too late.  
  
"Lenny! That bastard Reggie did this to you…talk to me. If nothing else, you'll get your revenge on him…"  
  
Lenny didn't look up or react at her voice, while his breathing was becoming shallower by the moment.  
  
"Lenny," Phoebe shouted nervously. "Talk to me! Where's the gold?"  
  
By then, Cole had brought Reggie close enough for him to hear Phoebe's question and Reggie yelled:  
  
"Shut up you bastard!"  
  
This seemed to have an effect on Lenny, who lifted his head a couple of inches and whispered something. Phoebe couldn't hear, so she bent even closer toward him. Then, as Lenny exhaled his last breath, Phoebe stepped back with an unreadable expression.  
  
"Hey," Reggie cackled, convinced that his secret was safe, "told you, you're screwed. I'll never talk either." Cole pushed him to the ground with his foot before glancing at Phoebe uncertainly.  
  
"Phoebe?"  
  
Phoebe detached her eyes from the pitiful spectacle that Lenny made, and as soon as she had overcome her malaise, she took a few steps toward Reggie and Cole without a word.  
  
Then, as Cole watched her with increasing curiosity, she leaned toward Reggie.  
  
"You know what, Reggie," she said very seriously, "I'm almost hoping that they don't hang you…this way you'll spend the rest of your life in prison knowing that I got your gold."  
  
Then a smile spread over her lips as Reggie lifted his head toward her with all the scorn he could muster.  
  
"You goddamn slut!"  
  
"Hey, keep the invectives down, Reggie," Phoebe mocked, "you're gonna need your voice to chase away the vultures…"  
  
Cole was now wondering if she truly knew or if she was just goading Reggie. He couldn't help asking.  
  
"Did he really tell you?"  
  
"Yeah…" Phoebe trailed with a half-smile. "Now, we don't really need this piece of crap anymore…hum…" Phoebe mumbled while observing Reggie.  
  
"What are you thinking about?"  
  
"You bitch," Reggie was again growling, "anything you do to me, I'll repay a thousand times in pain."  
  
"You know what, Reggie, I can arrange for it to be worth your while…"  
  
Phoebe pulled the barbwire length from her pocket and waved it in Reggie's face while Cole held the gun in his neck. "Don't move!" Cole snapped.  
  
"Hum," Phoebe pondered, "where could I stick this? Maybe I should ram it up your ass, and then pull your insides out like you did to poor Lenny," she added as she twisted one end to make it look like a hook. She went around to his backside and Reggie recoiled when she slapped his left buttock.  
  
"Again with your listening skills problem…" Cole said, pressing his foot on his lower back while Phoebe put the hook near Reggie's ass and this one tried to close his buttocks together nervously.  
  
Then, Phoebe looked up and saw the scavenger birds already circling.  
  
"Never mind… the little fellas are waiting for their dinner and they'll do a better job of hurting you than I," she quipped. "They'll make you regret having prepared the table for them, Reggie…I'm sure the vultures will savour your balls for dessert."  
  
Phoebe motioned for Cole to bring Reggie close to where Lenny had succumbed. Cole nodded, actually relieved that she hadn't gone through with her threat as he handed her the gun. Then after dragging Reggie there, and with a grimace of disgust, he undid the bounds that still held the dead man. He dragged Lenny's lifeless body a few feet away, and then roughly grabbed Reggie, who still tried to fight him off.  
  
"Reggie," Phoebe warned while arming the weapon deliberately, "you might still have a chance to survive this, but if you don't cooperate, I'll make sure you bleed to death slowly while the vultures feast on you…" To illustrate her point, she shot once very near Reggie's foot. He stopped struggling, but still glared at Phoebe with such hatred that even she had to work on herself not to step back. Cole tied him up with his back to the cactus. The stick, which was still planted in the ground at an angle, was pointing at his crotch, but Phoebe wasn't content with that. She twisted the barbwire around his balls, closing it with a running noose, and then she secured the wire around the trunk of the cactus.  
  
"Now," Phoebe said with a smirk, "that should keep you there until McKail gets to you. The more you struggle, the tighter it'll get. Oh and bloody luck getting on McKail's good side…killing two of his men wasn't a very smart move. He wants to hurt you as much as he wants the gold…"  
  
Reggie wasn't certain who she was talking about, but he didn't like the sound of it.  
  
Meanwhile, Cole had prepared the carriage and when Phoebe was almost certain that Reggie wouldn't go anywhere anytime soon, she left him without another look back.  
  
When Phoebe got closer, Cole glanced unhappily at Lenny's body, still lying a few feet from Reggie.  
  
"Shouldn't we bury him or something?"  
  
Phoebe hesitated only slightly.  
  
"McKail is probably on our trail and we've lost too much time already…We'll leave him the task of burying him…"  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
Cole didn't like the look of mistrust she gave him then.  
  
"What? Are we back at this?" He questioned unhappily. "You don't trust me?"  
  
Phoebe was about to answer when Reggie interrupted, startling them both.  
  
"I'll get you for this, Phoebe. Wherever you go, I'll find you!"  
  
"You should worry more about your own survival," Phoebe replied, apparently unimpressed, and then she climbed on the front seat of the carriage.  
  
"You're coming?" She questioned, staring at Cole pointedly. This one seemed indecisive, but he still climbed on the seat beside her and turned the carriage the way Phoebe indicated.  
  
"Can we really risk leaving him behind," Cole asked as they went on their way.  
  
"We can't risk having him with us, and I really don't believe that he's gonna be a problem anymore," Phoebe replied flatly without looking at him.  
  
Cole wasn't too sure about that but he hoped that Phoebe was right for both their sakes.  
  
They heard Reggie's invectives for quite a while afterward and kept silent themselves, both thinking back on what happened with mixed feelings.  
  
When the waterhole was only a point on the horizon, Cole finally turned halfway toward Phoebe.  
  
"Are you sure you really know where we're going?"  
  
This wasn't what he truly wanted to ask, but he didn't know if he should question her again about this trust business. Phoebe had not even attempted to answer his question after Reggie's interruption, and Cole was uncomfortable it. However, he soon realized that Phoebe had another concern on her mind.  
  
"I didn't mean for anybody to die," she uttered forlornly rather than answering his direct question.  
  
"It wasn't you who did that," Cole exclaimed then. "Reggie is the monster… and frankly, I wanted to kill that bastard…"  
  
Phoebe turned to him then.  
  
"No you didn't. I could see it in your eyes…" Phoebe paused uncertainly and Cole waited for her to continue, as he was convinced there was more on her mind.  
  
"You must think I'm horrible," Phoebe trailed then while looking away.  
  
"Phoebe… I was there…I helped you…"  
  
"But…"  
  
"No, I understand that you've suffered a great deal at the hands of men, Phoebe…" he stopped and winced before continuing, "including me…I'd be a hypocrite if I went self-righteous on you now."  
  
Phoebe tried to protest again, but he interrupted.  
  
"I saw the way they hurt that girl and I wanted to punish them just as badly as you did, Phoebe. While I'll admit I was squeamish at this torture business, I'd never hold it against you… and even less Lenny's death. You didn't do this alone, and you didn't kill Lenny."  
  
Phoebe shook her head uncertainly, and then she bent toward the back of the carriage under Cole's curious stare. She opened the second pack and rummaged through it for a while. When she sat back, Phoebe was holding a medallion in her hands. She watched it pensively for a while, and Cole finally questioned her about it.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Phoebe fidgeted with the trinket a moment longer before giving him an answer.  
  
"That was for Mike…I thought I'd lost it and then I found it in the same spot where I found your pack. Reggie's trophies I guess..."  
  
"Mike?" Cole questioned, only retaining the first part of her speech. He wasn't certain he liked the sound of that. After a moment though, he reflected with relief that she must have meant her baby…  
  
"I was under the impression that you had a daughter…" He said then, covering the slight jealousy he had felt only a moment ago.  
  
"I do…Mike's a short for Michelle," Phoebe replied with a soft smile. Then she became somber again, "I haven't seen her in months…I had this engraved for her just before I was sent to prison… after the brothel incident."  
  
Phoebe was still staring at the little medallion while saying so.  
  
"You could have it all, Phoebe," Cole began hesitantly. When she looked up, he worried that she might take his next words the wrong way, but he still felt that he had to try. "We could turn in the gold… and then I'd do everything in my power to get you off…you and your daughter could be together and free…"  
  
Rather than answering, Phoebe shrugged uncertainly.  
  
"Where is she?" Cole asked, at last, when she wouldn't acknowledge his offer.  
  
"Near Flagstaff… She's with my cousins…just as I told you before."  
  
"Piper and Leo…Halliwell, is that it?"  
  
"Wyatt…but why do you wanna know," Phoebe asked with a sudden suspicion.  
  
"Hey, don't bite my head off. I was just making conversation…"  
  
Phoebe stared at him a moment longer without a word, and then she shrugged anew.  
  
"It's in an abandoned mine," she suddenly said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Reggie's gold…he hid it inside the Hogden's mine, about five miles south of the ranch where we found him and his men."  
  
Cole wasn't exactly certain how much, but he was convinced that he had made progress with her. He smiled contentedly at the thought.  
  
Paul and his men arrived at the waterhole toward the middle of the afternoon. There, what he saw at once disgusted him and gave him the urge to laugh out loud. A few vultures were having a feast on Lenny's body, while others were walking in hesitant circles around Reggie. This one was still struggling, but he looked weak to Paul. The man was in really bad shape with spines stuck all over him, including his crotch, where Paul saw that his balls were bulging and turning blue. At first, he wondered why until he saw the barbwire running from them and to the tall cactus. There he recognized Phoebe's touch without a doubt.  
  
"Maybe, we should just shoot him now and put him out of his misery," Paul said loud enough to get Reggie's attention. This one had been concentrating on keeping the birds away from him and had not noticed the new arrivals. He looked up while squinting to distinguish who was there.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" He questioned croakily. However, even as Reggie was saying it, he showed signs of recognition.  
  
"You were with her," Reggie exclaimed incredulously, "just like that other bastard…How the hell?"  
  
"Save your breath, Reggie. All I want from you is the gold. Then…well, as I said before, I should do you a favour and shoot you. Phoebe did quite a number on you, didn't she," Paul added, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice. He couldn't help admiring Phoebe's guts. Although, looking back at Lenny, he wondered if she had not gone too far… "Since she's not here, I'm guessing that you told Phoebe where the gold was… so you might as well do me the same courtesy…"  
  
Reggie spit on the ground.  
  
"I'm not telling you anything!"  
  
"Oh well, we'll follow their tracks and leave you here for the vultures then…" Paul taunted, as he turned his mount around.  
  
"Hey, you can't leave me here like this!" Reggie called with a hint of worry in his voice.  
  
Paul halted the horse and dismounted slowly. Then he went to Reggie.  
  
"Are you ready to talk?"  
  
Reggie struggled some more and grunted when he felt the wire tightening.  
  
Paul chuckled at a sudden idea.  
  
"You sure you want me to take this off? It'll hurt like hell afterward…Not to mention that the way it looks," he added, shamelessly examining his midsection, "we might have to amputate…maybe I should cut if off right now while it's still numb."  
  
"Son of a bitch," Reggie screamed while spitting in Paul's face. Without hesitation, Paul drew his gun and pressed it next to the tender skin of his balls. Then, he fired the gun, grazing the skin while Reggie howled and fought hard against his bounds, only making things worse.  
  
"Hey," Paul cackled as much for his men as for Reggie, "what do you know; it's not all numb yet. Now," Paul continued very deliberately, "I might blow 'em up… or you could start by apologizing to me. And make no mistake, Reggie. I had a very bad month, and I'm feeling the need for some payback…"  
  
When Reggie said nothing, although he was breathing hard and moaning, Paul armed his revolver noisily and pressed it against Reggie's crotch again.  
  
This one grunted but still gave him a less than heart-felt apology.  
  
"Now that's more like it," Paul said as he moved the weapon only so and shot the knot in the wire, grazing Reggie's skin again while doing so. Immediately afterward, the pain caused by the bullet got drowned in the agony of the blood circulating anew in his crotch. It was a similar sensation to the spines that had pierced him earlier but multiplied a hundred times, and all at once. As he began to feel like someone had lit a fire between his legs, he imagined all the ways he would torture the bitch who had done this to him.  
  
"Hey," Paul was mocking, amused at seeing him writhing, "you should be glad you can still feel something down there."  
  
Behind them, Paul's men had taken it upon themselves to dig a shallow grave for Lenny. Reggie had tears in his eyes from the pain and possibly the exhaustion, and Paul thought that he should use his weakened state to push him. He couldn't be certain whether Cole and Phoebe had the true location of the gold. At this point, since he had Reggie, Paul wasn't too keen on leading a wild goose chase.  
  
"Hey Reggie," he began while taking a seat on a nearby rock, "do you feel like talking now?"  
  
"I've got nothing to tell you," Reggie answered hoarsely.  
  
"Hum…you know, I've got plenty of time…I'll find those two love birds wherever they go. You, on the other hand, are nearing the breaking point…I can wait here and watch you suffer for a while…it'll only distract me. Then when I get tired of this, I'll start chopping you up piece by piece until you feel the need to confess… By the time, I get serious with you; you'll wish that Phoebe was still here with her fluffy kind of torture…"  
  
Reggie tried to sustain Paul's stare, but he soon realized that this one might actually mean it. The beginning of panic crawled inside of him then. He wanted to live long enough to get his revenge on Phoebe. He also knew that he couldn't take much more punishment before he'd indeed reach the breaking point. All things considered he began to contemplate revealing the location of his gold to this McKail. Suddenly, the gold didn't seem as important as getting back at Phoebe…  
  
Back at the ranch, Phil turned to another who had stayed behind with him.  
  
"Well, I really don't think they know anything…Either this Reggie is one secretive bastard, or they think he's gonna chase them even in hell if they talk…"  
  
The other one, a tall man with dark hair and a scruffy look only nodded dejectedly in acquiescence. They had been interrogating the prisoners for hours without result. Behind them, three of Reggie's men were tied with their hands over their head on some pole that must have been used to dry meat. As he looked back, Phil thought that it was suiting … All of them were seriously busted by now. They had marks from the whip all over their torsos, along with large bruises on their faces. One of them was still moaning while the other two were unconscious. Phil gave a look at the ones still tied and lined up against the shack.  
  
They had worked on those earlier with little result. He was starting to believe that this was pointless, but decided to give it one last try. As he was returning toward the three men they'd been working on, the one who was still conscious jumped back at seeing him there.  
  
"Please, no more," he uttered weakly. He was the one who had been guarding the shack the night before.  
  
"Do you have something to say," Phil questioned harshly.  
  
The man licked his parched lips nervously, still pulling away from his tormentor. When he wouldn't answer, Phil lifted his fist to hit him again and the man groaned.  
  
"No please… I… I'll tell you anything you want…"  
  
Phil smiled victoriously.  
  
Reggie had almost told Paul the location immediately, but then he had changed his mind when a new idea came to him. He figured that if Phoebe got the gold, he could try escaping these guys and then go after her. If he succeeded, he would have it all. His money and his revenge… He was certain that as soon as she got the gold she would run to Mexico, out of the authorities' reach, but not his. Thus, he resolved to keep his mouth shut until the very last moment. Paul couldn't be certain what the man was thinking, but he was convinced that in a very short while, he would need little effort to make to get him talking. Therefore, he waited for almost two hours while the blazing sun struck on Reggie and made his ordeal even harsher. Meanwhile, Paul also taunted him with the water he drank and startled him here and there by shooting a few rounds near him without warning. Finally Paul had just about enough of this waiting and he came to him menacingly.  
  
"Alright, Reggie! I'm done waiting now. It's time for me to have some fun," he said, while pulling a mean looking knife from his boot. Smiling cruelly at Reggie, he went around the cactus and seized one of his left fingers roughly. Applying the knife to his knuckle, Paul again questioned:  
  
"Do you have something to tell me, Reggie?"  
  
This one grunted weakly and before he had time to say a word, Paul had cut off half of his finger. Reggie howled and tried to pull away.  
  
"Now Reggie," Paul said again, as he moved the knife toward another finger, "do you?"  
  
"Alright, I'll talk," Reggie said between groans of pain. Paul didn't remove the knife right away, staring curiously at the man.  
  
"I said I'll talk," Reggie insisted, apparently pleading.  
  
"Then," Paul answered at last while coming back in front of him, "start now, before I change my mind and decide to make you a eunuch just for the heck of it."  
  
Reggie wanted to spit in his face again, but the truth of the matter was; he didn't have enough saliva left to do so. Besides, he figured he had given Phoebe enough of a head start and knew that Paul would have followed their tracks eventually. So he told Paul about the mine. Not long after this, Paul had his men untie him from the cactus and give him a pair of pants, joking that he was tired of his offending small dick. Then, they tied him again and sat him on the horse they had been using for their supplies.  
  
"Count yourself lucky," Paul added then. "I'd drag you on foot through the desert, but you'd slow me down."  
  
Meanwhile, as they started on Cole and Phoebe's tracks, Reggie didn't feel so lucky. Nevertheless, for every bounce in the saddle that reawakened the pain in his crotch and buttocks, he got new ideas for torturing Phoebe and the man who helped her. He also added Paul to his list of future victims while he began plotting his escape.  
  
  
  
After several hours of riding, the lack of sleep began taking its toll on Cole and Phoebe. In fact, Phoebe was already dozing off against Cole's shoulder. Moreover, as he watched her, Cole wondered how much longer he would last before falling asleep himself. From Phoebe's indications, he knew that they couldn't be very far from their goal, but the mine remained elusive. They had come across a few rock formations, which had seemed promising, but they had soon proved to be false hopes. Now Cole wondered if they would ever find this place; or if it even existed. In his state of exhaustion, he saw them searching for days on end until they were completely lost in the desert. Again, he saw a promising range in the distance, but by then the sun was already coming down and he figured that they should at least start fresh in the morning. Whoever might be after them hopefully would stop for the night as well. Having made this decision, Cole pulled on the reins and dropped them before gently nudging Phoebe awake.  
  
"What," she grumbled sleepily.  
  
"I think we should stop for the night."  
  
"McKail," Phoebe began to protest as soon as she was awake enough.  
  
"Will probably camp too…" Cole finished for her. "Besides Phoebe, what good is it gonna do us if we fall from exhaustion before finding this place. We both need some rest…"  
  
Phoebe had to admit that he was right. Even after the short nap she'd just taken, she still felt so tired. The last few days had truly been an ordeal and it was now hitting her hard.  
  
Without waiting for her approval, Cole got off the carriage and pulled his pack from the back. Phoebe only hesitated a moment longer before following him.  
  
Cole also grabbed a few pieces of dry wood he found in the carriage, but was still wondering how he would start the fire without any twigs to ignite it. Then, he decided to give a look inside his pack. There, he was surprised to find the banknotes that he had hidden in the lining an eternity ago, or so it seemed.  
  
"What do you know…after all this, the money is still there," he chuckled tiredly.  
  
Phoebe was already setting the pieces of wood ready to ignite but was also wondering how they would do it, until she saw the pile of money Cole threw on it.  
  
"You can't be serious," Phoebe questioned although she said so with an amused smile.  
  
"Hey, it's just money…"  
  
Cole had also found a few long wooden matches and he handed those to Phoebe.  
  
"Should make things easier…"  
  
Phoebe glanced from the money to him uncertainly, and then she smiled anew.  
  
"Right…" she said while lighting it up. Soon they had a small fire going and were simply sitting in contemplation.  
  
"Do you think we'll ever find it," Phoebe asked suddenly, rendered a little more pessimistic by the intense fatigue she felt.  
  
"Does it really matter all that much," Cole answered, surprising her.  
  
"What are you talking about? Isn't that why we're out here?" Phoebe questioned pointedly.  
  
"Look Phoebe…" he said while leaning toward her, "a moment ago, we started this fire with actual money and I just realized how little I cared…for the first time in my life, I found something more precious than luxury and money…"  
  
"You can't seriously mean that you don't care about the gold anymore," Phoebe replied quickly. She knew what he was trying to say, but she wasn't ready to let him continue. Cole understood that she was still reticent and he kept silent for a moment. Instead, he extended his arm around Phoebe's shoulders and pulled her to him. Phoebe only resisted weakly before resting her head on his chest with a sigh. She realized then that she felt strangely safe as she relaxed against him.  
  
"It just doesn't seem as important right now, Phoebe," Cole finally said softly.  
  
Phoebe didn't answer and rather watched the fire pensively while Cole gathered a blanket around them.  
  
"Sleep, baby," Cole whispered, while caressing her hair, "I'll watch over you."  
  
"Cole," she began, as she put her head on his thighs, "I…"  
  
"Shush…we'll talk later…" Then, as she sighed and felt herself drifting off to sleep, she thought she heard something else.  
  
"I love you…"  
  
In this moment between dream and reality, she believed it…  
  
In the middle of the night, Phoebe woke up suddenly, wondering why she felt so cold. The fire was still burning albeit more like embers, but the difference was that Cole was nowhere to be found. All of a sudden, her doubts came rushing back painfully.  
  
"Cole?" she called anxiously.  
  
"Right here, baby," he called from outside the light circle. She watched Cole returning as an intense relief washed over her.  
  
"Too bad," he joked, while sitting by her side, "I was contemplating abusing you in your sleep…"  
  
"And I'd have missed all the fun," Phoebe chided playfully.  
  
"If you had, it'd mean I seriously lost my touch," Cole replied comically, while he pulled her to him. He was already caressing her back, but couldn't help yawning noisily.  
  
Phoebe chuckled.  
  
"You know, I prefer when my lovers are awake, myself…" She said then, as she deposited a soft kiss on his lips. "Sleep now…"  
  
Cole lied down reluctantly, but still kept his arm around her waist.  
  
"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," Phoebe uttered teasingly.  
  
Half-asleep already, Cole still managed to mumble.  
  
"I'm not taking any chances…"  
  
Phoebe smiled contentedly while reviving the fire. She thought back on that moment in the afternoon when Reggie had almost killed him. Then, she had figured out something that she never believed possible. When she was certain he was asleep, she leaned toward him and said in a whisper:  
  
"I love you…" 


	14. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 14)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter XIV  
  
Phil had encountered serious difficulties in Tombstone, when he requested that the authorities take custody of his prisoners. The Sheriff had fussed over just about every detail until Phil and his men found themselves faced with the frustration of having to wait until the morning before they could go after the gold. In the end, Phil had threatened to send a detachment of lawmen from Flagstaff to stay on a permanent basis in the Sheriff's town. This one had enough of this in recent history and finally agreed to take the prisoners on Phil's word alone. Phil gladly surrendered Reggie's men, who were all in very bad shape. The deputies eyed the prisoners with some curiosity as they came out of the wagon they had found to transport the lot. However, none of them commented while they took them inside the jailhouse.  
  
Two of Phil's men had come along, while another stayed behind with the gangster who squealed on his boss. He also left the man behind in case Reggie, or the couple they were after showed up. Phil didn't truly expect this would happen however, and even less so after the red head he had just dropped off at the Madam's house came back with a brunette to meet them at the jailhouse.  
  
The latter gave them an account of what she'd witnessed at the ranch. She actually began by asking if the nice couple who had saved their friend were ok. Then, when Phil questioned her further, he regretted having done so. The prostitute had stayed long enough to see Phoebe and Cole on their way with the gangsters. She proceeded to describe in gruesome details the way Reggie and his acolyte had been restrained when they left. Phil almost puked on the spot, while the other two men didn't know where to put themselves. They were made even more uncomfortable by the fact that the girls were giggling as they recalled this part of their misadventure and observed the men's embarrassment with obvious glee. Phil quickly thanked them for the information, and then, he and his men hurried out of town, suddenly eager to get as far away as possible from those girls and their laughter.  
  
"God," Phil exclaimed as they rode back towards the ranch, "and I thought I was a tough customer. Remind me never to cross a girl…"  
  
"Hey, Phil… you'd need to find yourself a girlfriend to begin with," his companion teased him with a big grin.  
  
Phil sneered before questioning him.  
  
"You don't seem all that bothered, Ray? How's that…?"  
  
"Hell yes I am! Those images are gonna haunt me for quite a while…on the other hand, I think those shits deserved that and more. Although, who knows, maybe they liked it..." Ray finished with a wink and a wicked smile.  
  
He started snickering when he saw Phil and the other almost gag.  
  
"You're a sick man, Ray…" Phil reproached after taking a few deep breaths.  
  
Ray didn't bother to reply, and instead, kicked his horse while still laughing.  
  
Paul and his men had stopped for the night, but when this one woke up in the early morning, he found a disturbing spectacle. One of his men lay with his throat slashed open and the bounds which had held Reggie seemed to have been chewed off.. The man's weapons and boots were gone, along with one of their horses. He picked up the rope and examined it dejectedly, now understanding better why Phoebe felt the need to go to these extremes…  
  
Pure hatred gripped Paul as he threw the rope to the ground. He regretted not having tortured the bastard until he begged for death. The poor boy Reggie killed had been a friend to Paul; just as much as the other two Reggie and his gang had slaughtered in the coach.  
  
The rest of his men came around with the same horrified looks on their faces.  
  
The youngest one went to their fallen comrade and grabbed his shoulders with tears of rage and sorrow in his eyes.  
  
"I'm gonna kill that bastard!" He growled. Then he turned to Paul accusingly. "We should've finished the job that girl started…"  
  
Paul felt so bad that he simply let him have his say, while he couldn't even look at the others. He was supposed to be their leader, their protector even. Yet twice already, Paul had survived while others had fallen to the same monster. The kid's rage was only an echo of his own. However, he knew that he had to stay calm and composed for them. The last thing McKail wanted was to be the leader of an unruly lynch mob. These men were supposed to be professionals.  
  
He took a few deep breaths to quiet his own rage before facing them.  
  
"Rick," he called to the young one still kneeling by the dead man, "I want you to bring Lewis to the nearest town and make sure that he's sent back to Flagstaff."  
  
"No! I wanna go after this shit!" Rick shouted, as he got up and faced Paul irately.  
  
"That's exactly why I want you gone. We don't need a hot head with us. This shit, as you call him, is way too dangerous… I won't have your death on my conscience too."  
  
"What the hell makes you think I can't take care of myself?"  
  
Paul hated to do this, but he knew that this boy could endanger them. His rage was too intense. Besides, the dead man had been Rick's best friend since childhood. This hit too close to home for Rick to remain efficient. Knowing that Rick was very proud of belonging to his team, he used the only argument he thought would sway him.  
  
"Rick," Paul began severely, "I'm your boss…at least I still am unless you decide you're done with us. If you want to remain in this outfit, you'll do as I say…"  
  
Rick glared at him for a long moment. Then, he seemed to resign himself, as he glanced back toward his best friend.  
  
"Alright, I'll do this. But you've gotta promise me you'll get Reggie."  
  
"I swear!" Paul simply said.  
  
Rick nodded sadly and went to the grim task of preparing his friend for his last voyage.  
  
Meanwhile, Paul assembled the others.  
  
"We've got to go on. No matter what, Reggie's gonna go after Phoebe. Of that, I'm absolutely certain. Now, from what…" Paul hesitated, still shaken by the tragedy, "from what I can see, Lewis's been dead for a while… Reggie must've killed him right after he took his watch. This means he's got a big head start on us and we've got no time to lose."  
  
Paul looked at each of the three men one by one with a very serious expression before he continued.  
  
"We'll get him… and this time, we're not arresting him."  
  
None of the others uttered a word; but the look in their eyes was eloquent.  
  
Without the need for any more instructions, they climbed on their horses, and with one last glance toward Rick and their friend; they again launched on Phoebe and Cole's trail.  
  
Contrary to all the others, Reggie knew exactly where he was going. He had made certain to remember the exact spot where the mine stood, and he knew that it wasn't an easy place to locate. This convinced him that he had a good chance of finding fresh tracks once he got there; if not Phoebe and Cole themselves, as they would surely have a hard time finding it. He had to bite back screams at the intense pain he still felt every time he forgot himself and dropped in the saddle. Yet, he pushed forward as fast as he could, even with the weak light of the moon as the only illumination. He was galvanized by his ever increasing hatred. Reggie thought back to that bastard McKail, whom he'd left behind when his finger began throbbing and he remembered how much he had wanted to cut his throat as well. However, he had refrained from it not only to keep his escape quiet, but also because he anticipated more satisfaction from torturing him at leisure in the future. In his half-crazed mind, he could hear all of their screams with a sick pleasure. Even as the idea formed in his head, he felt an arousal. However, this caused him more pain and it died almost as soon as it had started. His growl of frustration resounded in the night, and then he began cursing Phoebe under his breath as he pushed on.  
  
  
  
At first, Cole got a weird sensation of déjà vu when he felt his pants being tugged upon. The little hint of worry soon transformed into a thrill however, as he helped her along… Phoebe's hands slowly came back up his thighs and he let himself enjoy the exquisite stirring. As she moved over his midsection, her hair brushed on his loins, causing a delightful tingle, while she began opening his shirt and depositing light kisses from his hip to his soon bare chest. Her naked skin against his alone was enough to provoke excitement; but her bold attitude was an added thrill he could never get tired of. This along with the strong emotions she evoked in him had made Cole crave her more with every passing moment since the day they met…  
  
"Phoebe," he whispered softly, while trying to pull her toward him.  
  
"Shush, baby…" she said then, as her hand came to rest on his loins and she began stroking him slowly. Cole vaguely realized that it was almost daybreak before the overpowering desire made him forget all about where or when they were. All that he knew was her caressing hand on him and her soft mouth trailing on his chest. Before knowing her, he had slept with many women; but none of them had been so comfortable with lovemaking. Her boundless sensuality was as much a part of her charms as was her voluptuous body. He began stroking her hair and soon his hand moved down her back, until he reached the soft curve of her buttocks. His hand lingered there, caressing and kneading in turn until she began rocking her hips and parted her legs invitingly. He then reached further into her loins and explored the warmth of her, eliciting little cries of excitement from Phoebe, which only augmented his own. When his caress intensified, so did hers… until he thought he couldn't wait any longer. Then, her hand suddenly left his loins, and he growled softly in frustration. She giggled against his chest before straddling him.  
  
"Impatient, are we?" Phoebe questioned impishly. A vague smile formed on Cole's lips before he grabbed her hips firmly and pushed her down on him. As he entered her, she groaned and arched herself, obviously wanting of his caresses. His hands flew toward her breasts, which he began fondling enthusiastically. Her moaning intensified as she moved faster on him, apparently already nearing ecstasy. Even at this, it took all his self- control to wait for her, as he could already feel the first blissful sensations flooding from his loins. When Phoebe screamed in intense release, and he felt her pulsing around him, wave after wave of intense pleasure immediately spread through his whole body like wildfire. He pushed himself deeper inside of her even as he drew her to him and held her tightly against his chest. Then his mouth searched for hers impatiently, and they kissed deeply, hungrily, long after the last of the sensations was only a lingering memory. As their kiss finally became more of a languorous caress of each other's lips, Cole slowly rolled Phoebe on her back, and then his lips left hers while he continued caressing her body softly. In doing so, Cole was expressing his gratitude for the pleasure she'd given him as well as basking in the depth of his feelings for her.  
  
Phoebe sighed deeply as she relaxed against him, obviously revelling in his touch.  
  
"Phoebe," Cole uttered huskily, "I never wanna leave you…"  
  
Phoebe's reaction shattered his moment of pure happiness, as she immediately tensed and bit her lips, while a slight frown formed on her forehead.  
  
"Cole, could we not talk about this?"  
  
"But I want to, Phoebe," he said intensely, kissing the frown on her forehead. "Baby, I can't stand the idea of not being with you. Every time I think it might happen, I feel like I'm choking."  
  
Phoebe was still uncertain; her mind was clouded by the intensity of their lovemaking. At this moment, she wanted so much for it to be true. Yet, she couldn't help thinking that he would soon wake up and realize how different they really were. She took his face in her hands and gazed at him for a long moment, daring to hope for an instant, and the next knowing that if she gave into this and he left, it would hurt more than any wound she'd ever suffered.  
  
"Cole, let's enjoy each other now…there's no need to make plans for the future, ok? Please?"  
  
"Phoebe, what's so scary about the future?"  
  
"Nothing," she replied too quickly, while she removed her hands and looked away.  
  
"It doesn't sound like nothing," Cole uttered with a hint of reproach mixed in with the obvious apprehension he felt.  
  
When he saw her tensing again, he feared she was about to reject him for good, but she suddenly exclaimed.  
  
"Cole, we found it!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look!" Phoebe exclaimed again as she lifted herself on her elbow and turned her back to him.  
  
Cole followed her gaze and suddenly saw what they had missed the night before. Unlike what they had been looking for, they could now see the entrance to the mine, not in a large rock formation, but rather in a mound that looked like any other. It stood about a hundred feet from them. As the morning sun illuminated it, they could even distinguish the wooden planks that were barring the access. The doorway was almost buried into the sand, and it wouldn't have taken much for them to miss it.  
  
Phoebe turned back toward Cole with a smile of triumph and she kissed him enthusiastically before getting up and dressing hurriedly.  
  
Cole watched her with a sinking feeling, and then he reluctantly did the same as he saw her already on her way toward the mine…  
  
When Cole got to Phoebe, she was already pulling on the planks impatiently. She cursed loudly, as she realized that it wouldn't be as easy as she'd thought.  
  
"Need a hand," Cole asked without much enthusiasm.  
  
"Yeah, what were you doing?"  
  
"Hardly enough, baby," he answered with a vague smile, "I thought it safer to put something on before going to work on those planks. I don't think the splinters would be any more pleasant than the spines of those cactuses."  
  
In spite of the valid explanation, Phoebe guessed that his lack of enthusiasm had little to do with the prospect of splinters.  
  
"Cole…I thought we were in agreement on this?"  
  
His smile died off as he observed her uncertainly.  
  
"I still don't know what you intend to do, Phoebe…"  
  
Phoebe turned toward him completely and a frown formed again on her forehead.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"What about me?" Cole echoed.  
  
"What are your intentions, Cowboy?"  
  
Cole sighed as he took a few steps toward her.  
  
"Look Phoebe…we can still walk away from this. All we have to do is leave here now. McKail's gonna find the mine and the gold, and then, if he still comes after you, I'll take care of it."  
  
Phoebe let out a quick irritated sigh.  
  
"You'll take care of it," she questioned sarcastically.  
  
"Yes, Phoebe," Cole uttered intensely. "There's no need for you to worry anymore. We'll get your daughter back and I'll take care of everything. You'll never want for anything, I can promise you that…"  
  
"What?" Phoebe suddenly exploded. "What the hell did you think was gonna happen, lover? You thought that because I gave you a few thrills, I became yours? You believed that you could keep me around and pay your way into my pants? Or better yet," she added when she saw the horrified expression on his face, "you thought you'd put a ring on my finger and show me off like a trophy? Maybe you think that's better…but it's the same damn thing …"  
  
"Phoebe! Where the hell does that come from?"  
  
"From the fact that you believe I need a man to lead my life for me. I didn't do all of this, suffered through all those months, to turn around now. The ticket to freedom for me and my daughter lies in this mine… and no man's ever gonna get between me and that… not even you."  
  
"Phoebe, you don't realize…"  
  
Phoebe turned around and furiously pulled on the planks while he tried again to convince her.  
  
"I think I understand where you're coming from, Phoebe," he continued more sedately, doing his best not to show how hurtful she had sounded. "But that doesn't change the fact that this is wrong… Once you got the gold, they'll never stop trying to find you. You'll have to hide for many years, always fearful of being discovered. Not to mention that even if you managed to get you daughter before going in hiding, you would condemn her to the same fate."  
  
Phoebe managed to dislodge the first plank and threw it angrily at Cole's feet before glaring at him. "Who the hell are you to preach to me? You've been lying to me every chance you got since the day we met. I still don't know why the hell you're here in the first place."  
  
"I'm here for you!" Cole exclaimed as he grabbed her shoulders. "I love you!"  
  
Phoebe closed her eyes, unable to sustain his stare as she said calmly:  
  
"If there is an ounce of truth in what you just said, Cole…then you'll let me decide what's best for me… and then you'll let me go…"  
  
"Phoebe, no…"  
  
"Cole," she said as she looked up at last, "I…I'm not saying I feel nothing for you; I'd be lying if I did, but…"  
  
"But what...?"  
  
"I told you, I can never belong to anyone. It's not in my nature…"  
  
There was something so definitive in her voice that for a moment, he truly couldn't breathe. He slowly let go of her shoulders and turned around without a word.  
  
"Where are you going," Phoebe called half-heartedly.  
  
"I'll get the carriage," he answered flatly without looking back.  
  
Tears threatened to flow, and the unpleasant prickling behind her eyelids felt painful to Phoebe. She wasn't in the habit of crying and she wiped the moisture angrily away before turning back toward the entrance of the mine. She redoubled her efforts, and this soon paid off as more of the planks came off. This didn't keep the hurtful thoughts away however… In that instant when Cole had offered to take care of her, she'd had a moment of weakness, a need to give in. It had been the true reason for her anger. Now that the finality of her own words hit her, she feared that she would fall apart and yet, she felt that it would have been much worse had she risked it. Phoebe still couldn't believe that Cole truly loved her. Love didn't really exist. It was just a passing need, which had more to do with lust than any other emotion. She was certain that when he thought back on all that happened in the last few days, he would soon regret his offer. Phoebe had seen often enough how her behaviour had troubled Cole. So that even though for a few hours during the night, she had dared believing that this could last, she didn't believe it anymore… By the time she pulled off the last of the planks, she had managed to convince herself that the hurt that twisted her insides would go away like all the other wounds she'd ever suffered.  
  
She peered inside the dark tunnel and noticed a sign on the ground near the entrance. She couldn't read it, but was convinced that it said Hogden's mine. She was just entering the tunnel when she heard the sound of the carriage coming. However, she didn't bother to look back. A vertical shaft opened about fifteen feet inside the mine letting in some light, but it was barely enough for her to guess at the surrounding walls. Then she heard steps behind her and the light from a torch illuminated a pile of saddlebags, obviously filled at capacity.  
  
"We found it, Cole!" Phoebe exclaimed, as she surveyed their treasure with bright eyes and a renewed glee.  
  
When Cole didn't answer, she became slightly apprehensive, as she slowly turned around.  
  
In the back of the carriage, Cole was lying unconscious and his breathing was shallow and laborious. Blood was pouring from a deep gash in his forehead. Cole's eyes fluttered opened, but as he tried to push himself up, an intense dizziness washed over him and his surroundings seemed to be circling maddeningly until he saw the wooden floor of the carriage coming fast towards him. In the last moment, he remembered that Phoebe was in danger and tried to fight the whirlpool that threatened to swallow him whole. Then, when he fell back down, he knew that he had failed as the darkness enveloped him again…  
  
Paul gave a dejected look at yet another trail crossing over the first one.  
  
"Damn it! We've been going in circle for two hours…"  
  
The man closest to him gave him a perplexed look.  
  
"Do you think that Reggie lied to all of us? Maybe he sent them on a wild goose chase too?"  
  
"Maybe so… but then, where the hell are they?"  
  
In the distance, he could see a small mountain range and the tracks seemed to be leading that way. Moreover, even though they had followed those tracks to many other useless spots, Paul didn't see that they had much of a choice. Besides, whether or not the gold was there, he was still convinced that Reggie would try to find Phoebe and Cole. Until now however, they had not seen the tracks of his horse, telling them that if he had come this way, he must have used a different route. Paul signalled for the men to follow him towards the range but about a hundred feet hence, he stopped short. There the carriage tracks met with the elusive horse tracks he had been looking for and from then on, they mixed together toward the mountain range. He started back with renewed hope, but after following the tracks for a while he came upon something at once good and puzzling. The tracks seemed to go in two different directions: one with the carriage and horse tracks and another with only the carriage ones. At the intersection, the remnants of a campfire indicated that someone had spent the night there. His gaze followed the lone tracks of the carriage, which led away from the range, and he was surprised to find an artificial leading into a mound nearby.  
  
As he moved closer, he saw planks on the ground. From the look of these, it had happened recently, as they lay on top rather than being buried in the sand. Paul dismounted slowly, wary of what might lie inside the mine shaft. He grabbed a torch from his saddlebag and lit it before walking toward the opening, pulling his gun and holding it at the ready with his free hand. His men dismounted behind him and they pulled their revolvers as well before following him inside…  
  
Phil was beginning to think that Reggie's man was bullshitting him. They had been going for almost four hours and still found no signs of the mine shaft. Phil had brought him along but the guy was of no use, as he couldn't pinpoint the location to them. Phil began to regret not throwing him in the cells with the others so that he'd get his proper punishment. But then, as he was about to comment about it to Ray, his eyes caught sight of what he thought looked like tracks about twenty feet ahead. He had already kicked his horse and was on his way, when Ray called him back.  
  
"Hey Phil, do you see what I'm seeing?"  
  
Phil halted and gazed the way Ray was indicating. In the distance, he thought that he could distinguish a few horses, but as far as he could see, these were rider less.  
  
"I see, I see," he called to Ray, but now he was uncertain as to the direction to take. The tracks appeared to have been left by a carriage, which would've fit with the girls' description. On the other hand, the presence of those horses might indicate that someone else was after the gold. Then again, it could have been unrelated. Ray came to join him with a questioning stare. He had also noticed the carriage tracks.  
  
"Ok, what do we do?"  
  
Phil hesitated, while looking back at their prisoner.  
  
"I'm not sure…"  
  
Cole emerged from the darkness, still dizzy, but a little clearer than the last time. Immediately, he knew that things had gone very wrong. He was tied with his arms over his head, while his ankles were also tied wide apart. The cold rocky floor he felt against his back and buttocks told him right away that he was naked even through the slight confusion caused by the head wound. Although it was obvious that they were in some sort of cave, he couldn't tell whether it was the mine shaft or some place else. Throughout his mounting apprehension, he also began to feel stupid. Earlier, he now remembered, he had been coming back to the carriage, still troubled by his argument with Phoebe. This was why he hadn't notice the lone sweaty horse that stood a short distance away until he was beside their conveyance. Then, he had stared at the animal in puzzlement for a few seconds but by the time the truth struck him, it had been too late. Reggie had come out from behind the carriage and before Cole could react, he'd hit him hard with his rifle. Afterward, Cole vaguely remembered waking up once and he wasn't even certain this happened either. When he heard the crackling from a fire, he tried to look aside, but had to take a few deep breaths as this movement alone worsened the dizziness and he was becoming noxious. Trying again, moving more slowly this time, he was mildly surprised to see Reggie staring back at him over the fire. This one was smiling cruelly.  
  
"Well, look here, babe. Sleeping beauty is finally awake. Hell, I was starting to think I hit him too hard and he'd miss all the fun."  
  
In saying so, Reggie looked behind him, and Cole got a sinking feeling. Again trying to keep the dizziness at bay, he turned his head the other way and found that Phoebe was there as he feared. She was just as undressed as he was, but she hung from her wrists, which were tied up over her head on a hook planted in the rocky wall. Reggie had gagged her, and as he watched her, Phoebe began mumbling angrily through the gag, while glaring at Reggie.  
  
"Phoebe," Cole called hoarsely. He didn't know what was worse anymore; the fear of the pain to come for him, or the horror of seeing her suffering the same fate. "Phoebe, I'm so sorry…"  
  
"Oh you better be sorry," Reggie taunted, as he got up and walked toward Phoebe. There, he turned to Cole with another cruel smile. "Well, this wouldn't be too much fun if she couldn't scream…" he uttered with a crazed expression. He then quickly removed the gag from Phoebe's mouth. She tried to bite him as he did, but her teeth closed a few inches from his fingers as he removed his hand quickly with a chuckle.  
  
"You crazy son of a bitch, leave him out of this!" Phoebe screamed.  
  
"Oh," Reggie uttered with obvious satisfaction, "this is gonna be even more fun than I thought. Wonder if it's the impressive package that turned my tiger into a kitten…hum. Not to worry Phoebe…I'll let you have another taste of it. I'll even cook 'em for you," Reggie chuckled again, as if to a very good joke.  
  
"But hey," he continued, while Phoebe struggled madly against her bounds, "I'm going to do you the same courtesy you tried to do for me before I bite your clit off." In saying so, he reached between her legs and grabbed her groin hard.  
  
"Come on kitten, you can't tell me you don't like it… you used to…"  
  
Phoebe bit back a groan of pain as he brutally manipulated her while he grabbed one of her nipples and twisted it until she thought he'd tear it off.  
  
"Let go of her, you piece of shit," Cole screamed angrily. Although Reggie did let go, Cole had to pay a toll in pain for it, as Reggie came toward him and kicked him hard in the kidney. Cole clenched his teeth to repress a scream and he felt the nausea coming back as well, which only added discomfort to his precarious situation.  
  
"You seem in a hurry to get beaten," Reggie snickered, "but you'll have to wait for your turn, pretty boy. Meanwhile, let me give you something to think about while I pleasure the little lady." Reggie went around him and picked up a piece of wood still flaming from the fire. He then carelessly threw it between Cole's legs and this one jumped in anticipation of the pain. Fortunately, all he felt was the heat from the fire, but it was enough to tell him what Reggie had in mind for him. Indeed, Reggie confirmed his worst fears, as he came back and leaned over him. "When I start grilling your balls, it'll only be the beginning of your torments. Now, you shut up and watch," he added harshly before he hit him hard in the jaw with his fist, and then roughly put the gag he had taken from Phoebe in Cole's mouth.  
  
Phoebe was becoming more scared by every moment; as much for Cole as for herself in fact, and it actually surprised her. Besides her baby girl, she had never felt that anyone else was deserving of her compassion or worry. No one had cared about what happened to her until now and she didn't see why she should bother to care about anyone else. Yet, the look of sadness in Cole's eyes, even in the face of his own ordeal to come, told her that he did care, just as much as she understood she cared for him. For the first time, she actually believed that in his own way, Cole did love her. Dejectedly, she reflected that this revelation came at the worst possible moment. Ever since she'd awakened in this cave, her fear for him had clouded her judgement, making her weak in her opinion. Even now that he had come to, the vague relief she had felt paled in comparison to how worse their situation had become because of it. Until now, Reggie had only toyed verbally with her. However, she knew that he had waited for this, while mentally savoring the torture he would inflict on both of them. And now, she had just given him another weapon to use against them.  
  
Phoebe also felt terribly responsible for their predicament. She should've known better than risking for Reggie to come after them. She had no regrets for the pain she'd put him through. She only regretted not killing him when she had the chance.  
  
In the mine shaft, she had not even made it around completely before she felt the hit behind her head and lost consciousness. Phoebe had no idea of where they were, or how long ago Reggie had gotten to them. She only knew that nearly an hour prior to this moment, she had awakened in this place; and if she feared the horrors Reggie had planned for her, the fact that Cole would suffer as well made it unbearable. Her only vague hope was that McKail might find them before it was too late. However, even this faint hope was quickly dying inside of her. It didn't keep her from casting nervous glances toward the entrance of the cave every so often. Until now, she thought that Reggie had not noticed. However, as he came toward her, she saw him following her gaze. Reggie almost laughed out loud at this.  
  
"Oh, poor kitten," he uttered sarcastically. "You're not still hoping to be rescued, are you? Even if they could find this place, they'd have to want to. I made sure they got what they were truly after."  
  
In spite of her anger, she stared at him questioningly.  
  
"See, babe," he continued while grabbing one of her breasts again and painfully pulling her toward him with it, "I gave up my gold to them…just for the pleasure of taking care of you properly…you can bet your pretty little ass that they're gonna be more than happy to forget about him and you. At least long enough for me to finish the job and leave the country… So not to worry baby, we won't be interrupted," he added cruelly before bending toward her other breast and biting it hard. This time, Phoebe couldn't keep in the scream of agony. At this, Cole began fighting harder against his bounds and suddenly got the impression that one of his wrists might be loosening. Without hesitation, he pulled hard on that one, not caring about the burning caused by the rope abrading his wrist. He thought he was making progress, but another scream from Phoebe made him turn with a shudder. This time, he saw blood coming from the obvious bite mark on her breast. Galvanized by his fear for her, he pulled harder on the loosening bound until it finally gave. He quickly removed the gag but remained silent as he glanced back at Reggie, worried that he might have noticed, but this one was too busy roughly groping her belly to care what happened behind him. Cole managed to reach his other wrist and started pulling on the bound, but it was still way too slow, as he saw that Reggie's face was already between her legs in spite of Phoebe's struggle to get him off. When Phoebe saw what Cole was doing, she got distracted, and unfortunately, Reggie used this slackening in her struggle to manage a savage bite that drew blood again on the inside of her thigh. The blinding pain elicited another agonizing scream from her.  
  
In that instant, Cole decided that even if his hand was torn from his arm in doing so, he would get himself out of his bounds, and he pulled as hard as he could until the second one gave at last. Quickly, and in spite of the dizziness, he sat up and grabbed the smoking stick that Reggie had dropped between his legs. Then he threw it as hard as he could against Reggie's back before bending further and trying to take off the ropes that still held his ankles.  
  
The growl that came from Reggie told him that he at least got his attention, as Cole redoubled his efforts. Before he succeeded however, he felt a searing pain in his back. Looking back, he saw Reggie lifting up a short but mean looking knife and preparing to hit him again with it. Then, a gunshot echoed endlessly inside the cave and Reggie stepped away, his face contorted in what seemed an intense surprise. He looked up at his hand and screamed as much in frustration as in pain when he saw the blood profusely coming out of a gaping wound in his palm. The knife dropped to the rocky floor noisily as another gunshot was heard. This time, Reggie's kneecap was blown off and blood spurted from both wounds while he fell to the side, unable to hold his own weight anymore. Cole didn't even bother to look for the shooter. Instead, he grabbed the knife, and quickly cut his bounds with it. Then with the weapon firmly in hand, he jumped at Reggie, who tried to ward him off but without success.  
  
"You god damn piece of crap," Cole said with blind rage. Without the slightest hesitation this time, he came down with the knife on Reggie's stomach and cut it opened. Reggie tried to get away, but Cole hit him again in the crotch this time, and the gangster began crying in abject fear and horror, as the knife had gone through the fabric and half severed his dick. Cole was about to hit him again, when he felt two pairs of strong arms pulling him away from Reggie.  
  
"Let me finish him," Cole growled, as he tried to get out of their grasp. However, the two men were holding on tight, and Paul's voice finally got Cole's attention.  
  
"Come on, Turner, he's done for…You don't need to dirty your hands anymore…"  
  
Cole still struggled for a moment longer, but suddenly what he'd just done struck him and a violent bout of nausea shook him. He let the knife drop and threw up on the spot. Meanwhile, Reggie was pathetically trying to grab his insides and put them back in with one hand while the wounded one held his crotch, as if he could stop the inevitable. When Paul was certain that Cole would stay put, he let go of him and bent toward Reggie.  
  
"You son of a bitch…I couldn't have done better myself. I hope it hurts like hell."  
  
Reggie was drooling and coughing blood at the same time, while he cried like a child.  
  
Paul pursued:  
  
"My only regret is that you're gonna die too soon…"  
  
Then, he got up and, picking up the knife still on the ground, he went toward Phoebe. Swiftly, he cut her bounds and as soon as she was free, she ran toward Reggie and kicked him repeatedly in the crotch. This one was already half dead and didn't have the strength to pull away as his screams of pain became whimpers.  
  
Phoebe only stopped when Cole called to her.  
  
"Phoebe, please…"  
  
She looked up with sudden tears in her eyes and forgot all about Reggie as she went to him and hugged him.  
  
"Cole…" she only uttered as his arms encircled her and held her tight against him.  
  
Paul signalled for Phil to give him a hand as they dragged Reggie outside, even as this one was still whimpering.  
  
Then Paul came back with blankets and said with a smirk:  
  
"Would you cover yourself already?"  
  
They took the offering gratefully, ignoring the smirk, while sitting on a large rock near the fire.  
  
Phoebe looked at her hand then, which was bloody, and a sudden panic gripped her insides.  
  
"Cole you're hurt!"  
  
"It's nothing," he said as his fingers brushed over the bite mark on her left breast.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Phoebe. I'm sorry I couldn't stop him fast enough…"  
  
"Shush," she said while pressing her fingers against his lips. Then turning toward Paul, she added "you gotta do something about his wound."  
  
Paul frowned as he pulled the blanket down in spite of Cole's protestations.  
  
"You know what, Turner? You gotta be the luckiest son of a bitch. He barely scratched you."  
  
"That's what I said…it's nothing…"  
  
"Still, one of my men is a fairly good medic. I'll have him look at this and your forehead. Then we'll try to find you both something to wear. Seems that Reggie used your clothes to start his fire," he said while staring at a belt buckle that had been thrown beside the said fire. "What about you, Halliwell?"  
  
"I'll live," she answered curtly. "Took you long enough," she added with mild reproach.  
  
"As I said, you really are lucky. We almost didn't find you. Good thing Reggie had given a tour of this place to his men."  
  
Paul glanced around and thought that this cave looked like a chamber of torture. It was part of a series of cave which were obviously Reggie's most secret hideout. There were hooks stuck on the walls and floors all over the cavern, which told him that he was using it as a deterrent to his men's betrayal. The one they had with them had indicated this place to them after they found the carriage, and he had looked terrified as they approached it… as if he still feared that Reggie could get to him.  
  
"Lovely," Paul said sarcastically before returning his attention toward Cole and Phoebe.  
  
"As I was saying…very lucky… although that won't keep me from arresting you…"  
  
At this, Cole looked up with assurance.  
  
"You can't do that…"  
  
"Watch me!" Paul exclaimed. "You still tried to steal the gold and that's more than enough for me to arrest you. I'm not even talking about leaving me in the desert…again," he added, staring pointedly at Phoebe.  
  
She stared back defiantly in silence.  
  
"You still can't arrest me, McKail…I certainly can't be accused of stealing my own money…"  
  
Phoebe flinched visibly while pulling away from him.  
  
"What?"  
  
Cole grimaced with slight embarrassment.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about, Turner?" Paul questioned then.  
  
Cole gathered the blanket around him and stood up.  
  
"First of all, it's Mr. Turner to you… and I happen to be the co-owner of the mining company that lost this money in the first place."  
  
"What kind of bullshit is that?"  
  
"Didn't the name Turner and Son tell you anything? I've actually wondered why you didn't put it together already…"  
  
"First off, I never knew the name of the company…it was immaterial to my work. Second, if you think you can just say that without any proof, you got another one coming…"  
  
"If you would be kind enough to get me a pair of pants and help me find my pack…my credentials are in my suit pocket, along with a proof of ownership signed by one of the owners of the Wells Fargo."  
  
Paul frowned uncertainly but still went outside and came back with one of his men, who immediately proceeded to bandage Cole's wounds before giving him some clothes. Meanwhile, Phoebe had taken the offered clothes herself, but had not said another word since Cole had revealed his latest secret. As they were preparing to leave, Cole tried to take her hand, but she removed it quickly as if he'd bit her.  
  
"Phoebe?"  
  
"You son of a bitch," she growled suddenly, startling him. "When I think I almost let myself believe you… For a moment back there, I actually thought you cared for me…you probably just pitied me…"  
  
"No Phoebe, you know that's not true!" He said while trying to take her in his arms.  
  
Again, Phoebe took a step back, staying out of his reach.  
  
"I'm done listening to your lies, Turner! You're the same as all of them. You never cared about me! You just followed me to make sure I wouldn't take your precious money. Well, you can keep it!" She almost screamed before storming out of the cave.  
  
Cole was so stunned that he didn't make a move to go after her at first. "How can she say that," he thought angrily. But then, he understood how bad this looked. A sinking feeling crept its way inside of him. After all this, the very fact that he was who he was again put up an almost insurmountable obstacle between them. However, even as the thought struck Cole, he made a firm decision. He wasn't about to give up that easily. He would make her see things his way, even if it took him a lifetime. Then he went out after her resolutely.  
  
They had to walk down a tortuous trail, which branched in so many places that, if it hadn't been for Reggie's man, they might have ended up far from their destination. Meanwhile, two men were dragging Reggie the Slick's lifeless body. From the look of him, they had finished him by beating him up after he was dragged outside the cave. Cole gave one last disgusted look at the body before moving ahead. He tried to get to Phoebe and make her listen, but every time, she moved faster away. After a few more futile attempts, he decided to wait until she calmed down.  
  
The trail went on for almost thirty minutes before they came upon a deep gorge. There, they found that Reggie had left the carriage and horses. He had loaded his own horse with Cole and Phoebe's packs and tied it to the carriage as well.  
  
"Now, you better be telling the truth, Tur…Mr. Turner," Paul completed with obvious contempt.  
  
"Oh you can call me whatever you want, McKail. Come to think of it, it doesn't matter all that much," Cole replied with a joyless smile. He then gave another look toward Phoebe, but she refused to meet his gaze. With a shrug, he went toward the horse which held the packs. There, he rummaged through his belongings, and as he was pulling out the suit jacket from his own pack, he noticed that Phoebe's seemed heavier than he remembered. He discreetly looked inside of it and then without giving away anything, he pulled his pack off that horse and came back toward the others. He dropped his bag on the ground and within a few seconds, handed two official looking papers to McKail.  
  
"I trust you can read?"  
  
Paul sneered as he proceeded to read the credentials attentively. Then, he gave them back to Cole with a slightly more respectful expression.  
  
"Well…it looks like I owe you an apology," he uttered reluctantly.  
  
"No need," Cole answered assuredly. "Just as long as we're clear…"  
  
"Crystal clear," Paul added. "So…this is all yours," he questioned next.  
  
"Well, mostly my father's," Cole admitted, "but it's all the same…"  
  
"But that only clears you, however," Paul continued. "Phoebe is still very much guilty…"  
  
Phoebe almost jumped at him, but Cole put himself between them.  
  
"Look, McKail…since this is my money and I gather that it is all there, you can't hold it against her. She hasn't taken anything…"  
  
"But…" Paul began and then stopped himself.  
  
"Oh hell, who cares? She can go…"  
  
Phoebe went around Cole and stood before Paul at this.  
  
"What about our arrangement," she questioned, ignoring what Cole had just done for her.  
  
"What arrangement?"  
  
"I led you to the gold! I thought we had an agreement."  
  
Paul couldn't believe how bold she was. Phoebe had just nearly gotten herself arrested and yet she was still demanding the reward.  
  
"You know what, Halliwell? I think you should be grateful you're not hanging and leave it at that. At least, you got half the bargain…you walk free. Be content with that."  
  
Phoebe growled unhappily and then with a look of utter contempt towards him and Cole, she stomped toward the horse still holding her pack.  
  
"Hey, you can't…" Paul started, but Cole lifted a firm hand in front of him.  
  
"Let her have it."  
  
Phoebe sat in the saddle with a grunt of pain, but she clenched her teeth and was about to kick the horse when Cole called to her.  
  
"Phoebe…you can still change your mind."  
  
She hesitated only another moment, and then she went on her way out of the gorge without looking back.  
  
Paul watched Cole and was surprised to see a smile forming on his lips.  
  
"Wow, you don't look too broken up over it. Maybe Phoebe was right…"  
  
Cole ignored the sarcasm and instead questioned Paul.  
  
"McKail…How would you go about taming a wild horse?"  
  
Paul gave him an astounded look.  
  
"What the hell does it have to do with anything?"  
  
"It's just a question… really, how?"  
  
"Well, first of all, you'd need to catch it and make sure he won't escape…I guess that would be a good start."  
  
"Right…" Cole trailed. "And…?"  
  
"Then you would have to gain his trust…"  
  
"Ouch…that might be the tough part…" Cole said mostly for himself with a frown.  
  
"What else?"  
  
"I guess that if you managed to get him to trust you enough for him to let you mount it, you'd straddle the beast and hope he wouldn't snap your neck before he's broken…"  
  
"And how do you catch a wild horse," Cole uttered with increasing confidence.  
  
"You need to know where he roams and then rope him…"  
  
"Her, you mean…" Cole said, rather pleased with himself. "Alright," he then added impatiently, "let's get this gold back and go to the nearest town. I have a few telegraphs to send. Oh and by the way, I'll be lodging a formal complaint against Miss Halliwell."  
  
"What? You just forced me let her go!" Paul exclaimed incredulously  
  
"And that's my point…Until she left, she had done nothing wrong."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Among other things, there's a substantial sum of money belonging to me in her pack. I'm assuming," Cole added with a corner smile, "that she took it from me with the intention of robbing me. This should be enough to get an arrest warrant."  
  
"Then, let me get her back!"  
  
"No!" Cole exclaimed. "No need…I know exactly where she'll be. Don't worry; she'll come to you in Flagstaff."  
  
"Why…?"  
  
"I just know she will…Since I'm the one who'll lodge the complaint; I can do it at my convenience can't I?"  
  
Paul grunted in acquiescence.  
  
"Then I choose to do so later on…"  
  
"I don't know what ideas you put in this big head of yours, but if it's what I think it is, I'm gonna put my money on her and you better get protection for your nuts…"  
  
"You'd be mistaken," Cole uttered more seriously, "I fully intend to win…or I'd lose something more precious than all the gold in the world if I didn't…"  
  
Without another word, Cole grabbed his pack and went to the carriage, climbing on the front seat, ready to go. Paul shook his head dejectedly, but still signalled their departure… 


	15. Unlawfully Yours (Chapter 15)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Chapter XV  
  
Phoebe was just leaving the Madam's house after getting some ointments, when she saw him again. She didn't know what she had expected. Maybe that he would look as bad as she felt, but clearly that wasn't the case. Cole came out of the telegraph office with a smile on his lips. Paul and his men were waiting for him with a coach, which she supposed contained the gold…"the gold…why did I even bother?" Phoebe questioned herself bitterly. As she was observing him, he turned slightly toward her and she threw herself behind a pole. Her breathing even quickened and she suddenly felt ridiculous. What did it matter whether he saw her or not? "Cole evidently doesn't care and neither should I," Phoebe told herself while still staying in hiding however.  
  
When she risked another look, the coach was already on its way, followed by a wagon containing not only Reggie's men, but a wooden coffin, which she supposed contained Reggie's body. McKail must have wanted to make certain that the company saw his handiwork up close. Of course, she didn't know for sure how much of the account would pertain to her, or even Cole… Again, she chastised herself for even thinking his name and she walked to her own horse. The Madam of the house had suggested she use the ointment right away and she already felt a little better. Phoebe had known that this would be the best place to find relief for this kind of wound. Bite marks were rather frequent in the Madam's business and those ointments were reputed to have healing properties, as well as soothing. All the way here, the ache they'd caused her was just an unpleasant and unwelcome reminder of her misadventure. Phoebe wished that it soon went away soon and that she could forget all the bad; but most of all, the good, which only caused her more pain. All she had left now was her daughter and she knew that was what she should concentrate on. The thought of Mike was at least a pleasant one until she remembered that the medallion had been in one of her pant's pockets…now burnt to a crisp in the cave…  
  
"Stop," she told herself, while opening the pack by the horse to put in the ointment. Then, her breath caught in her throat as she closed the pack as fast as she could and climbed on the horse as if she was running from a fire.  
  
As Phoebe rode down the street, a few cowboys whistled loudly, but she simply ignored them and went out of town, taking the opposite direction to the coach. Only when she had put at least a mile between the last of Tombstone and herself did she stop and dismount, still breathing hard with her heart racing. Phoebe opened the pack again and as unbelievable as it had seemed to her in town, the gold bars were still there, along with the rest of Cole's banknotes... The gold had to be from an earlier attack, and from the look of it, she estimated she had up to twenty five thousand dollars worth of gold and close to two thousand dollars in cash. As her breath quickened anew, she sat heavily in the sand, trying to comprehend this incredible good fortune. She'd seen Cole look inside her pack. How could he have missed that? And if he hadn't… then why didn't he say anything? For a moment, she let herself believe that it was his alleged feelings for her which had led him to do this. Then, the reality of all of his lies hit her again. For all she knew, Cole had done this to put her into more trouble…Maybe even for spite, hoping that she'd get caught, since she had scorned him in his mind… "Well," Phoebe said aloud, "too bad for you, lover. You'll never see the color of that money again."  
  
Phoebe reflected that she would have to be careful. If, as she thought, he was intent on using it against her, her best bet was to stay out of sight for a while. She would still make her way toward Flagstaff, but at a slow pace and with a large detour. Having made her plan, she climbed on the horse and put it to a trot.  
  
"Mommy's coming, Mike… And we're gonna have a beautiful life together. We don't need a man, baby. Particularly not that two-faced liar…" she voiced bitterly, as she rode away.  
  
A man with a dark overcoat and a top hat was walking at a brisk pace along a series of mansions more opulent one than the next. The mist escaping his lips for every breath he took, told of the cold morning temperature that reigned in Boston, even this late in the spring. He stopped in front of a large white and dark grey mansion, which was poorly ornamented but for a statue representing a prospector with the usual pick. This touch of originality, in Rudolf's mind, showed for sure that the master of the house had an obsession with his former life. Maybe this was what caused all the friction he had with his only son. Indeed, Cole rarely missed a chance to scowl at the representation; knowing full well that his father reproached him what he was, as opposed to what he wanted him to be. "Well," Rudolf thought with a knowing smile, "this news should make the old man happy."  
  
He hurried toward the large doors and sighed contentedly, as he entered the warm hall. He took off his hat and overcoat, and then headed for the study, where he knew he would find Coleridge Turner. Indeed the old man was busy reading one or another report, as was his usual for this time of day. The same as every morning, Rudolf had gone to retrieve cables from the Company's holdings back in the west, and a surprising message had come along. Coleridge was so concentrated on his reading that he didn't seem to notice his butler arrival. This one cleared his throat discreetly to get his attention.  
  
"Yes, Rudolf," the old man reacted somewhat gruffly.  
  
"Your cables, sir," Rudolf simply said as he approached his employer's desk and deposited a pile of flattened papers in front of him. Coleridge pushed them aside, and returned to his reading, ignoring Rudolf's expectant attitude.  
  
Any other might have considered this behaviour rude. Nonetheless, Rudolf had been in this house since he was a boy himself and he knew the old man as well as one could know another. This was only the usual manner of a man used to living it rough and who was also very driven. However even as butler to master, their relationship seemed based on a mutual respect…at least, most of the time. Rudolf had also practically raised his son for him after Cole's sweet mother had passed away. He always thought that Cole took mostly after his mother, except for the same stubborn pride as his father. Those two had butted heads more than once because of this. In fact, just recently, such a disagreement had caused a rift that had appeared impossible to mend until now.  
  
Unable to hold his peace any longer, Rudolf coughed again, more insistently this time.  
  
"Sir," he said, when Coleridge looked up with a hint of impatience, "may I suggest that you look at this morning's messages?"  
  
"Come on Rudolf…what's the big emergency?"  
  
"Forgive my insistence, sir… However, I really do think that you should take a look at these cables. I put the most relevant ones on top of the pile for your convenience."  
  
Coleridge gave a perplexed look at his trusted employee. Rudolf wasn't in the habit of interfering in his business dealings. His obvious interest gave pause to the old man.  
  
Grabbing the first cable, he didn't have to read long before a smile spread over his lips.  
  
"Well, what do you know? I might not have to change couriers after all. That is indeed good news, Rudolf…"  
  
Coleridge was already putting this message away and returning his attention to the report he had been reading, when Rudolf again insisted.  
  
"I think that you should try the next cable, sir…"  
  
This time, Coleridge had a moment of impatience.  
  
"If there is something you want to tell me…"  
  
"Read sir," Rudolf said again with a reserved smile.  
  
As soon as Coleridge began reading the next cable, he exclaimed:  
  
"Well I'll be damned! That's where he ran off?"  
  
Coleridge stared questioningly at his butler, convinced that as usual, this one knew more about his son than he ever did.  
  
"What the hell got into him?"  
  
"Well sir, I think…and by this, I don't mean to be impertinent… but I believe that he decided to prove to you how wrong you were about him…"  
  
The old man stood up then.  
  
"He deserved it, Rudolf. I couldn't continue paying his way forever! I put his name along with mine on this company but all he ever accomplished was to spend our profits on extravagances. How else was I gonna teach him responsibility?"  
  
"Again sir, I don't want to be disrespectful… but…"  
  
"No, Rudolf! You've always been too soft on him. Cole needed to learn a hard lesson. And since taking the money away was the only thing I could do for a son his age, I didn't have much of a choice."  
  
"Seems he's learned this lesson very well…"  
  
"Two million dollars of motivation…" Coleridge uttered sarcastically.  
  
"I think you're selling your son short, sir," Rudolf said boldly.  
  
"And how in the blazing hell do you figure that one," Coleridge questioned, while quickly reverting to his old speech pattern. As a prospector, he had used a much more colourful language than was allowed in Boston high society. Of which, this latest outburst was only a pale example. However, in private, he often used it, and particularly in relation to his son's behaviour…  
  
"Sir, I think you failed to read the entire message," Rudolf said more sedately.  
  
Coleridge glared at him but still picked up the cable and, from mildly annoyed, he became irate.  
  
"How dare he?"  
  
Cole and Paul leaned against the bar, while nursing whiskeys. They had just finished a poker game, that had left Paul twenty dollars poorer and he was somewhat miffed about that.  
  
"You know that Phoebe was right about you? You've one hell of a poker face!"  
  
"Hey," Cole replied with a cocky smile, "one does what one can…"  
  
"The way you're going, you won't have to worry about this inheritance anymore…"  
  
"I stopped worrying about that since I sent my father packing…"  
  
"You seriously meant to give up on a two million dollars inheritance just so you could stick it to the old man?"  
  
Cole's smile vanished at this, and then he took a long sip of the amber liquid before answering his new friend.  
  
"You know perfectly well that's not the reason…"  
  
"Turner, I don't see how much more intelligent your other motivation is…Trust me… I wouldn't be stupid enough to choose poverty for a pretty girl. Besides, I don't think she'd like a poor man…I sincerely believe that your odds are really bad…"  
  
"I know what I'm doing…and she's much more than just a pretty girl," Cole uttered irritably.  
  
"Well, why don't you enlighten me? Who knows, maybe I'll grow a heart myself…" Paul mocked amicably, just content to have something on Cole after losing a large portion of his pay to him. Of course thanks to the nifty bonus he had gotten from retrieving the gold, it wasn't all that bad of a loss. Still, he was miffed for the principle. In the last two weeks he had spent a lot of time with Cole, and each of their card games had ended up the same way; with Paul losing. He had even started to wonder if Cole cheated on top of bluffing like a pro.  
  
"Nah," Cole said dejectedly. "If I start talking about her, you'll have to pick me from under the table again."  
  
Cole was referring to a few nights earlier, when he had practically lost hope that she'd ever come to Flagstaff, as he had surmised she would. Fortunately for Paul, who indeed had to pick him up and drag him to his hotel room, Cole's intense headache of the morning after convinced him that getting drunk wasn't the answer. Although, from the look of things, Cole was again coming down with gloomy thoughts and Paul regretted mentioning Phoebe. Cole picked up his glass and turned forlornly toward the relatively quiet saloon. It was still early in the afternoon, but both men found themselves at a loss for anything to do that day. Cole simply didn't have a clue what more he could accomplish until she showed up…if she ever did, he thought bitterly. Still, he had to admit that something good had come of this, although it meant that he now had to practice the profession he had only recently considered a title. He wasn't at his father's beck and call anymore and that definitely was a plus. The other added bonus was waiting for him in the hotel suite and he actually thought of leaving now and getting some of this medicine to quash the aura of depression he felt coming again.  
  
On the other hand, Paul usually managed to perk him up as well. "Particularly for the fact that he was a gold mine in and of itself," Cole thought impishly. The man simply had no talent for the game, and Cole was taking full advantage, although never in a truly bad way. Paul and he had developed a friendship which had started during the trip back to Flagstaff. Then, Cole had finally shed some light on his motivations and opened up to Paul about his father. He told Paul that ever since he was a teenager, his father had put high expectations on his shoulders. Mostly, Coleridge Turner had wanted Cole to be as he had been in his youth: driven to succeed and willing to take any risk in order to do that.  
  
Of course, until recently Cole had considered a high stake game of cards risk enough. Or in a more pleasant way, going after a Lady who wasn't exactly available... If that had made him a playboy of sorts, until he came to Arizona, he had considered this the good life. He had not even been ashamed of this while recounting some of the most amusing anecdotes to Paul. Then, as he told Paul next, it had all changed after his father had finally gone over the edge and cut him off completely.  
  
Cole remembered that fight as if it was yesterday. Even if he had a temper himself, he had never really been this angry with anyone before, let alone his father. After Coleridge had told him that he could kiss his inheritance good bye unless he changed, his first move had been to tell him off, leave and not look back. After he had indeed stormed out of the mansion that night however, he had reflected that even his bruised ego wasn't worth losing two million dollars. This had prompted him to plan an adventure he had never even fathomed a man like him would risk. For almost a month, he had learned all he could about the deserted parts of the country, while honing his shooting skills with determination. He was certain that he would win and bring back the money to his father, figuratively throwing it at his feet with contempt. Moreover, after doing so, he'd planned to resume his former lifestyle without any more negative comments from the old man. Now a few months later, he looked back on this and actually could laugh at himself.  
  
Had he not let his pride get in the way, he could've simply gone to work for his father; established himself in an affluent part of town; married a sweet girl and given him grand children as the old man most certainly wanted. His future would have been assured and the greatest risk in his life would have been crossing the street.  
  
In hindsight however, he understood that it simply had never been for him. Granted, he was establishing a practice now, and had bought a house for himself, although very far from the busy streets of Boston. And now, he was actually craving for a wife…But all of this came with a sense of adventure and a much greater risk than he would've ever faced back there. Cole even understood that he had more in common with his father than he ever thought possible. This need for adventure had probably been the true reason why he never wanted to settle down before. One week in Arizona had changed this forever. All those near death experiences, and he had never felt more alive. Much more than this, he also realized that establishing a life here rather than back home would provide all the adventure he would ever need. Starting with Phoebe…  
  
His train of thought was interrupted by a new arrival. Phil, one of Paul's men, who he had come to know as well in the last couple of weeks, was coming toward them and bent toward Paul, apparently talking business. Cole was only mildly curious until Paul turned to him with an amused smile.  
  
"Well, looks like your luck has turned again, Turner. Though, from my point of view, you should stick with cards… But it's your balls and at any rate, I can't wait to recoup my money…"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about," Cole questioned, although he let himself hope that it was what he had been waiting for.  
  
"The little bird has come home…and it would seem that she's mighty angry…" Paul added with a chuckle.  
  
Cole ignored the obvious implication and instead felt a surge of joy at the idea of seeing her again. Not only that, but he couldn't help being very pleased with himself for his cleverness. He was certain that she'd see things his way soon. After Phoebe got over her anger of course…  
  
  
  
Earlier, Phoebe had been approaching a modest farm just outside Flagstaff with an expectant expression. She'd hidden the gold and the cash where she was certain no one would ever look and was now ready to get her daughter back. She had longed to see Mike so much. It had taken all of her self-control to wait until now. Besides, she had decided to give herself some time until Cole's memory was only that. Phoebe had wanted to come to Mike ready for a fresh start. However after two weeks of aching and longing, she understood that it wouldn't go away this easily and she couldn't risk Piper giving up her baby before she got there. The timeframe they had agreed upon was just about ending and she could only hope that Piper had kept her word.  
  
Thus, it was with trepidation that she dismounted into the courtyard and went toward the main house. She had barely knocked once on the door before her cousin Piper opened it. From the look on her cousin's face, Phoebe got a very bad feeling.  
  
"What's wrong," she asked anxiously.  
  
"Huh, Phoebe…wanna come in?" Piper answered instead.  
  
"You don't want me to come in any more than I do. Where's my daughter?"  
  
"Huh well…"  
  
Phoebe grabbed her arm tightly and Piper gave her an irate look.  
  
"Let go of me, Phoebe!"  
  
"What is it," a male voice called from inside. Phoebe immediately recognized Leo's voice, but she cared very little for seeing him. In fact, she was certain that he was the one insisting they send her daughter away. She let go of Piper, but continued staring at her angrily.  
  
"Where's Mike?"  
  
Again, Piper's expression returned to the self-conscious one Phoebe had seen earlier and it told her for sure that the news was bad.  
  
"You promised me! Where did she go," Phoebe questioned angrily without waiting for her cousin to confirm her fears.  
  
"That's the good news Phoebe…the man who adopted her said that if you wanted to see her, you only had to go to him…"  
  
"What man? Where?"  
  
"He stays in Flagstaff and asked us to give you a message…Wait I'll get it."  
  
Piper turned her back to her and Phoebe felt as if she was going to cry again. By now however, she had gotten a little more used to that. Angrily, she reflected that this bastard had made her even weaker than she'd ever thought possible. Instead of Piper, Leo came to the door and from the look of him; he wasn't exactly pleased to see her.  
  
"That man said that you'd come but frankly I'd hope you wouldn't. The judge who came here said that your daughter would have a good life and you should leave it at that. Maybe your shame won't tarnish her after all…"  
  
"Shut up, you prick," Phoebe exploded. In a way, it felt good to get angry. At least, she knew how to do that very well and it made her feel stronger.  
  
Leo scowled at her and pursued:  
  
"Why that Tanner guy would've wanted a child of sin like yours is beyond me though. There are so many poor orphans born out of religious bounds that need a home."  
  
Phoebe was this close to hitting him, when the name Tanner struck her.  
  
"Tanner? You're saying that's the name of the man who adopted my daughter?"  
  
"Something like that…the judge gave us five hundred dollars and said that this Tanner whatever… had arranged for that… If nothing else, at least it was a small repayment for all the scorn we had to endure from the community for keeping her with us."  
  
This time, Phoebe didn't hesitate and she kicked him hard in the kneecap. Leo held himself against the threshold and gave Phoebe his most angry stare.  
  
"You little vixen, if you weren't a woman…"  
  
"Go ahead, give me your best shot," Phoebe taunted.  
  
However, her cousin was coming back and seeing the situation, she decided to put an end to it.  
  
"Leo please, let me deal with Phoebe…"  
  
Leo was still staring angrily at Phoebe but after a few seconds, he turned to Piper:  
  
"She's your cousin, your problem," he announced curtly while going back in with a pronounced limp.  
  
"Did you really need to do that, Phoebe?"  
  
Rather than acknowledging her cousin's reproach, Phoebe questioned her in turn.  
  
"Who's this Tanner your prick of a husband was talking about?"  
  
"Phoebe!"  
  
Piper took a few deep breaths as if Phoebe's attitude was enough to give her a bout of apoplexy. Then, she pursued:  
  
"I think it was more like…wait…sounded like Coal… Yeah that's it! The judge said Cole Turner…"  
  
"What!"  
  
"Do you know him," Piper questioned hesitantly while taking a step back at seeing the irate expression on her cousin's face.  
  
However, Phoebe wasn't paying her any attention as her anger grew exponentially for every second that went by.  
  
"That goddamn son of a bitch! Bastard! Asshole! Is he ever gonna leave me alone?"  
  
"Phoebe," Piper exclaimed with outrage in spite of her latent fear. "There are children in this house."  
  
"You imbecile! You pretend yourself such a good woman…" Phoebe attacked her directly then, "yet you sold my child to the devil incarnate!"  
  
"What are you talking about Phoebe?"  
  
Phoebe noticed the envelope in Piper's hands then and she figured she might as well know what other dirty trick he had in store for her. Though, Phoebe had a pretty good idea of what he wanted from her and it only made this all the more vile.  
  
"Give me this!" She exclaimed, while trying to get to the envelope.  
  
"Come on, Phoebe… you know you can't read!"  
  
"Then stop procrastinating and read it for me."  
  
"Only if you promise to calm down," Piper said with a little more assurance.  
  
"Calm down?" Phoebe exclaimed with a sudden tremor in her voice. "You don't know anything!"  
  
"Phoebe, I just know that I won't give you this message unless you stop screaming…"  
  
Phoebe took a few deep breaths and tried her best to quash the apprehension mixing with the anger that twisted her insides.  
  
"That's much better," Piper said at last while tearing the envelope.  
  
"It says here that if you want to see your daughter, you only have to meet Mr. Turner at the Grand Hotel in Flagstaff. He'll be waiting for you …" Piper trailed.  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yes…"  
  
Out of patience, Phoebe grabbed the piece of paper rudely and turned her back to Piper without another word.  
  
"Where are you going," Piper asked mostly to be polite.  
  
"What do you think," Phoebe replied as she climbed on her horse, "I'm going to get my daughter back and tear that man apart with my bare teeth!"  
  
From then on, and until she entered the Grand Hotel in question, Phoebe continuously cursed Cole's name loudly, even inventing a few curses along the way…  
  
Exclamations of outrage from passersby followed her progress down Flagstaff's main street, as her invectives didn't give any sign of waning. This had been enough to alert the few of Paul's men who were still watching for her arrival. Phoebe practically jumped off the horse in front of the hotel and stomped her way inside and toward the reception desk.  
  
"Where's that creep?"  
  
The man behind the counter looked her up and down with obvious contempt at her appearance. Indeed Phoebe knew that she was in need of a bath and a change but at this moment, she wasn't in the mood to accommodate the snobbish attitude. Grabbing the man by his vest, she pulled him to her angrily.  
  
"Where's Turner?"  
  
"Huh…Mam…"  
  
Before he could finish this however, two strong arms were grabbing Phoebe from behind and pulling her away from the desk. She still held on to the receptionist a moment longer and he found himself almost falling off the other side before she let go. As she angrily tried to turn and get a look at her captor, she found herself faced with McKail's amused grin. Another man was still holding her tight from behind, preventing her from going after Paul.  
  
"What? You're in it with him too?" she spat.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about Phoebe…I'm here to arrest you."  
  
Phoebe was so stunned that she didn't say a word and they put manacles on her before she could react. She had expected Cole to propose some sort of exchange between her daughter and the gold, although she still didn't understand why he'd have needed it.  
  
As they dragged her toward the door, her combativeness had returned however.  
  
"I wanna see my daughter and the son of a bitch who stole her from me…"  
  
Paul chuckled, apparently at some good inside joke, to which Phil, who was holding her, responded in kind.  
  
"You'll get your chance," Paul added, still mocking. "But first, we'll make sure that you can't hurt yourself or anyone else….yet," he pursued with obvious glee.  
  
They led her to the prison and a large Matron took her into her cell and unceremoniously stripped searched her, forced her to bathe into almost frigid water, and then gave her the prison clothing Phoebe was so not fond of.  
  
The only thing that surprised her was that they bothered at all to send a woman to do it. She had faced a few unseemly strip searches before by men who believed it to be their very own little brothel. In truth, not too many women came their way, so Phoebe understood that she was some kind of a treat for them. Yet this time, it had not happened. Better yet, the deputies had closed the doors behind them and made no move to come back until they were done. This was strange but it wasn't enough to distract her from her main concern. Why she was there in the first place and where was her daughter? Phoebe tried to ask the Matron about it, but this one didn't bother to answer as she closed the cell door behind her and left. Phoebe sat angrily on the cot and did the only thing she could do now, which was alternating between sulking and cursing.  
  
Cole had watched her from the saloon and knew that McKail had been right to suggest he should stay behind. It still didn't keep the urge to go to her quiet. Cole saw McKail coming back out after almost thirty minutes and waited impatiently to hear what he had to say. Unfortunately, it wasn't good news.  
  
"You know, Turner. I'm afraid that your little theory about her missing you and getting softer just backfired. You really should've thought this through…"  
  
"That was the only way…"  
  
"Not so," Paul said with a frown. "You should've let me arrest her then…"  
  
Cole couldn't tell him his true motivations, but he still believed that she would've hated him more, had he agreed to this two weeks ago…He'd hoped that the gold and a few days of reflection would have helped calm her down. Of course, he might still have been right. He hoped that she was only angry about Mike…At least, that wasn't a big problem. Not if she saw things his way… As if he had read his mind, Paul pursued.  
  
"Taking her baby away wasn't exactly smart either…"  
  
"On the contrary…That was my only guaranty that she'd come to me…"  
  
"I thought you said she would anyway…that she'd miss you…"  
  
"I might've exaggerated…Phoebe's so proud…"  
  
"Well, I hear you there…but it's not gonna help you in the least."  
  
Cole was staring at the Jailhouse, apparently oblivious to Paul's warnings.  
  
"Hey man, if I were you, I'd wait a little more before going there. I sincerely doubt she'll listen to reason right now…"  
  
"I need to see her," Cole said stubbornly, while stepping out of the saloon.  
  
Paul called to him then.  
  
"Hey, although it goes against my best interest, I'm gonna give you a friendly advice…  
  
If you care anything about your…assets… you'll stay well away from those bars."  
  
Cole barely acknowledged him before going on his way. Phil crossed his path and watched him going in astonishment before rejoining with Paul.  
  
"Hey, is he crazy enough to try talking to her now?"  
  
"It's a possessed man you're talking about. I sincerely hope I never fall in love…They say love hurts and I think that our friend here will learn it the hard way…"  
  
"Shouldn't we be checking up on them? I mean, I put a lot of money on that girl…"  
  
"Yeah you're right." Paul agreed before they went back toward the Jailhouse.  
  
When Cole entered the office, the deputy gave him a strange look. At this point, he was somewhat preoccupied but still found it peculiar. The man seemed scared.  
  
"Mr. Turner. We didn't expect you so soon… but I guess the sooner the better hey?"  
  
"Where is she?" Cole asked, ignoring the nervous chatter.  
  
"I promise you, she's fine…nobody touched her…"  
  
Cole's confusion deepened as the man gave him a large birth after opening the door leading to the cells.  
  
"Thank you," he said hesitantly.  
  
"Any time sir…"  
  
Paul and Phil entered the office just in time to hear the exchange and Phil turned to Paul questioningly after seeing the look of fear on the deputy's face.  
  
"What the hell did you tell those guys?" he asked in a low voice.  
  
"I might've embellished a little…like how Cole tore Reggie the Slick apart with his teeth…also it's possible that I told them he had killed three more of Reggie's men in a variation of a Mexican stand off…you know…to get better odds… Hey," he pursued when he saw his partner's incredulous expression, "Phoebe's reputation is well known in the prison system around these parts. The odds were not good enough…most of them even refused to bet on him before."  
  
"And there I thought you were an honest man," Phil added with a wide grin.  
  
Then he added:  
  
"Do you really think it's possible to be that taken with a broad?"  
  
"Hell, one like her…it's possible, yes… although, that's gonna be a rough ride." Paul added with a smirk. "Now let's see how long it's gonna take before he runs out of there…"  
  
Cole walked slowly down the hallway leading to Phoebe's cell. They had put her in a cubicle which was closed all around but for the front part which was made of thick iron bars. He could see only one more prisoner there…Obviously a drunk from the look of him.  
  
As eager as he was to see her, he also feared her reaction. Those two weeks had been torture not only because he missed her, but also because he had built up a lot of doubts along the way. "What if she never comes around," Cole asked himself for the umpteenth time. No matter what he had told Paul earlier, what had seemed fairly clear cut in the gorge two weeks ago wasn't anymore. He had given up a lot since then just so that he would have a chance with her and even if he still thought it was worth it, he wondered if it wouldn't all have been for nothing. Still, he had to try… Taking a deep breath, he moved toward the cell and peered in. It was almost night time and the back of the cell lay in the shadows. When he heard her voice calling to him, he wasn't certain what he should think.  
  
"Hey, Lover… took you long enough…"  
  
Phoebe didn't sound angry at all. On the contrary, her voice was sultry, even more than he ever remembered. For some reason, he felt worst.  
  
"Phoebe… are you ok," Cole asked hesitantly.  
  
"Of course I'm ok. Hey, I'm used to those walls… I spent a lot of time in prison the last couple of years. What's more, this is a nice cell…I even got some privacy," she added in the same soft tone of voice as she stood up and came toward him.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you're taking it so well…I… I didn't mean to anger you, and I didn't tell anyone about the gold," Cole added warily. She was smiling and he couldn't tell whether she was goading him or was sincere at all.  
  
"That's nice…So, what exactly did you mean to do," Phoebe asked just as gently, while she leaned against the bars.  
  
Cole took another step forward before answering.  
  
"Ok I know this looks bad…but you don't have to stay in there you know. You can be out of this place whenever I remove the complaint. I only said that you took the cash, so you see, they have nothing else against you. All you have to do is promise not to run away and you're out of here."  
  
"Ah…" Phoebe trailed. "That's all hey?"  
  
Cole's churning stomach tried to warn him, but he still took another step forward.  
  
"Yup, that's all I ask…"  
  
Without warning, Phoebe extended her arm toward his crotch and grabbed him so hard he thought he would cry. Before he could grab her arm, she was pulling on him, forcing him to move closer as the pain was rather intense. Between clenched teeth, he uttered.  
  
"Now baby, that's not the way to go at all…"  
  
Phoebe growled.  
  
"You son of a bitch! If you don't want me to tear em off, then you'll give me my daughter back and let me outta here."  
  
Phoebe twisted more and he couldn't help a loud grunt of pain at this.  
  
"I swear, I will…" Phoebe added threateningly.  
  
Seeing no other option, Cole grabbed her hair and pulled her head back.  
  
"Now," he said as the pressure was finally releasing slightly on his crotch, "if you let go right now, I'll have your daughter here first thing tomorrow for a visit…"  
  
Phoebe groaned unhappily and held on.  
  
"And what if I don't?"  
  
Cole let go of her, realizing that it wasn't the way to go.  
  
"Then, I'll get out of here with bruised balls; that's for sure. But you won't see your daughter for quite a while."  
  
Phoebe held on still while she stared angrily at him and Cole added under his breath.  
  
"Come on! Is it worth not seeing your daughter just so you can hurt me?"  
  
"You really are a bastard," Phoebe curtly answered while letting go.  
  
Cole took a few steps back and well out of range before massaging his crotch.  
  
"And you have one hell of a grip, babe! But that won't get you out of there until you listen to me…"  
  
"There's nothing you can say or do that will change my mind, Cole."  
  
"We'll see," he answered irritably. Then he simply took the chair that stood at the end of the hallway and sat there in silence for the rest of the evening.  
  
Phoebe tried to go to sleep but all the time he was there, she couldn't help thinking that he was watching her and it wasn't until he left with a curt good bye that she drifted off.  
  
By the end of the next morning, Phoebe was convinced that he had lied to her again. She was almost ready to start screaming when she heard the door to the cells opening. Holding her breath, she waited impatiently. An older lady came into view then, carrying her precious little girl. The little tyke was almost a year old already, with dark hair and bright blue eyes. In fact, as she looked at her, Phoebe wondered how coincidental that was. Still, even though he had kept his promise, Phoebe didn't want to think about Cole. Instead, she moved slowly toward the iron bars and only gazed at her daughter in silence for a long moment.  
  
"I'm sorry madam," the old lady said then. She had a comely face with a crown of light grey hair. Where Phoebe had feared some contempt, the lady actually smiled.  
  
"Mr. Turner wanted me to come earlier, but Michelle was still taking a nap. I didn't think it was a good idea to wake her because she gets grumpy if I do…"  
  
"That's quite alright," Phoebe finally answered. Almost fearfully, she extended her hand toward the baby, and this one grabbed her fingers tight. Phoebe almost cried just at her touch.  
  
"She's so pretty."  
  
"I would say, just as pretty as her mother…"  
  
Phoebe looked up and smiled at the lady.  
  
"I'm Phoebe…"  
  
"Mrs. Lassiter. I must say that your baby girl is a joy to take care of. Although she's got some character…Mr Turner says that she reminds him a lot of you…"  
  
"He does?"  
  
The lady only smiled at this. Phoebe wanted so much to hold Mike, but she didn't know that it was possible. McKail's deep voice came from down the hallway.  
  
"I really believe that we could let her in…"  
  
Phoebe didn't dare say a word as she hoped it was what she thought. Indeed, a few seconds later, one of the guards accompanied McKail to the cell and opened it to let the nanny and Mike in. Even then, Phoebe hesitated, unsure if she truly had a right to this beautiful baby. Being a mother had not exactly made her the nurturing person a child should have.  
  
"Don't you want to hold her," Mrs. Lassiter asked softly.  
  
Phoebe smiled uncertainly before taking the infant from her delicately. As soon as she had her, the girl looked up at Phoebe with a big smile.  
  
"Dada?" Mike seemed to question, startling Phoebe.  
  
"Oh," Mrs. Lassiter laughed, "that's all she can seem to say. Though, Mr. Turner gets quite excited when he hears her saying it."  
  
Even though she didn't show anything, she felt a hint of jealousy at this. Why was he the one sharing precious moments with her daughter while she was stuck in here? Yet, she couldn't help thinking that it was also strange that he cared so much for her. She met Paul's eyes then, and thought that he could read her mind, but he never commented.  
  
Afterward, she decided to shut up the little voice and to enjoy those precious moments with her daughter.  
  
Later on however, when Cole came to visit, she didn't even say a word and stayed on her cot for the whole evening. This strange stand off lasted for over a week. Every day, Cole would have Mrs. Lassiter bring Mike to Phoebe and every night he would spend sitting in the hallway, practically silent.  
  
One late morning, Paul came to visit Cole at his new office. He was impressed by the customers there, as these were all affluent people. From the level of the attendance, Paul surmised that whatever Cole had done or not at his father's company, he had still managed to learn something. Then again, he thought with a smile, the man was very good at faking it. Maybe those rich people were not all that smart after all, he thought again with some amusement before heading toward the young secretary.  
  
"Do you think that Mr. Turner could spare a moment of his time?"  
  
"I'll ask him, if you'd care to wait? Who should I announce?"  
  
"Tell him McKail is here," Paul answered with a little smile.  
  
It wasn't long before she returned and indicated the inner office to Paul. This one had to refrain from gloating at those businessmen in the waiting room. He knew that it would've been immature on his part and stopped himself. Nevertheless, the idea alone brought a big childlike smile to his lips. As soon as he was inside the office however, he remembered the purpose of his visit clearly and left the kiddie business out the door.  
  
"Hey," Paul called to Cole, who was still pouring over some paperwork. It was strange to watch Cole so absorbed in his work, and wearing that suit, considering all they had been through before. But much more than this, it was even stranger to think that he was coming here to give him advice about relationships. Paul had wanted to say something in the gorge way back when, but at the time, he'd understood it wouldn't have made any impression on Cole. Now however, after the long stand off this week had been, he hoped that maybe the man was ready to listen.  
  
"What's up?" Cole asked at last.  
  
"You look busy…"  
  
"I've got to admit that this working business… well, it's harder than I imagined, but it has its perks…"  
  
Paul decided that he had done enough small talk. That had never been his forte anyway.  
  
"Like maybe, you don't have to think about what's not working?"  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean," Cole questioned with a frown.  
  
"Alright, you probably won't like it, but really I think you're going in the wrong direction with that girl. Things are not moving at all. If anything, I'm afraid that she resents you more every day."  
  
"First of all, why should it bother you? You've been betting against me from day one…"  
  
"That was only a friendly bet, Cole. I actually believe that you and she could have something…If not, she'd already have killed you…several times…"  
  
"Second of all," Cole pursued, as if he heard nothing Paul just said, "how the hell would you know anything about what works and what doesn't?"  
  
"Alright, I'm not an expert at relationships, I'll grant you that…But I can see when someone is miserable…"  
  
"All she has to do is let me talk to her…"  
  
"Maybe you should listen instead…"  
  
"To what? She won't even look at me…let alone talk," Cole exclaimed angrily.  
  
"Hey, don't bite the messenger. I just hate to see two people miserable when there's no reason for it. You're both so stubborn!"  
  
Cole was about to jump down his throat, but he stopped himself. Instead, he looked curiously at Paul.  
  
"Ok just when did you change jobs?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Just I never figured you for a matchmaker," Cole replied with an amused smirk.  
  
"Matchmaker McKail," Paul sneered. "Well, it has a ring to it…"  
  
"If you want my opinion," Cole answered then, "you should keep your day job!"  
  
"Think what you want son, but frankly I've seen teenagers acting more mature than you and Phoebe…"  
  
"Don't you think you're a little harsh," Cole asked pointedly, as the smirk vanished.  
  
"I think I said enough. Hopefully, you'll take what I told you as it was meant to be; a friendly advice…"  
  
When Paul left the inner office, he feared he had not made any progress whatsoever, "but at least, "he told himself, "my conscience is clear…I tried." On his way out, he couldn't help sneering at the businessmen in spite of his resolution not to…  
  
Cole tried to go back to his work after Paul left, but he couldn't concentrate. Just as Paul had pointed out at first, he was indeed rather busy. The business was booming; a lot more than he had expected, in fact. Cole was already considering getting some help, as business law seemed very much needed in these parts. Cole should have been happy that things were going so well. However, as he shuffled the papers in front of him distractedly, he realized that he was becoming his father in his later years. That was a scary prospect. Where was all the adventure and pleasure he had intended to take from this?  
  
And indeed, he knew that McKail was right about his trying to escape his emotional problems. Every day, he was burying himself in work to forget the pain of the next evening… and every single night, he went there and suffered in silence, knowing that she did too. Yet, even if he knew they were going in circles nowhere fast, he had no idea how to change things. It had all sounded so simple when he had conceived this plan. All he was going to tell her and how he was gonna prove to her that his love was sincere. For that however, he would've needed Phoebe to be willing to hear him out. Dejectedly, he pushed the pile of papers aside and looked at his pocket watch. It was noon and he knew that at this very moment, Mike was visiting with Phoebe. He had stayed away from those visits, thinking that it would only worsen things between them. He believed that if they ever could share this little girl, it would have to be when Phoebe and he had worked things out between them. Now he was wondering if that would ever happen.  
  
Mike…that little girl was the other reason why he wouldn't; couldn't give up now... If he did, he stood not only to lose the woman he was certain he could love for the rest of his life; but also this little girl, who had captured his heart from the moment she had smiled at him. In spite of her young age, she had done so with the same beautiful smile as her mother. Cole was convinced that when he looked at Mike, he was seeing the innocent and sweet person that Phoebe must have been before all the suffering she had gone through. This didn't mean that the baby girl didn't know what she wanted however. Even so young, there was no way to make her do what she didn't want to do. He smiled indulgently at the thought, until he realized how this applied to her mother as well, and then the melancholy came back in strides… In that instant, he saw how selfish he had been through all of this. How could he have believed that he could force Phoebe to accept him? And yet, the moment he began to consider giving up, the pain was so intense that he rejected the thought…  
  
Although that evening seemed in no way different from the other excruciating ones they had gone through all week, Phoebe sensed that something was up with Cole. He looked strangely sad; without the façade that he had sported all that week. Until that night, he had appeared determined. Even mean sometimes. But even if she understood that he was frustrated and now sad, she wasn't ready to extend the olive branch, and obviously, neither was he.  
  
Maybe McKail was right and they were like children who wouldn't compromise. Earlier, just as Mike had left, she had received another visit from Paul. Surprisingly enough, the man had stopped by a few times that week, and even though their relationship remained rather strained, Phoebe was grateful for someone to talk to. That day however, he had sounded preachy. In the end, Phoebe had gotten upset with him and told him to try his little speech on Cole. McKail had not answered this and left without much more than a good bye. Ever since, she'd been wondering about what he'd told her. Many times that evening, she sensed that Cole was tempted to say something, but he didn't and her frustration grew until she decided that she had enough. She turned toward him only to find that he was dozing off on the chair.  
  
"I don't like this game anymore, Cole!" Phoebe called loud enough to wake him.  
  
Cole looked up with a start and he stared at Phoebe in confusion. That was the first time in a week where she actually spoke to him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, I'm tired of this game… let's play another one."  
  
"And here, I thought we were having so much fun…" Cole replied sarcastically.  
  
"Look Cole, this has gone far enough. I can't stand it anymore, and neither can you. It's obvious…"  
  
Cole looked away uncertainly. Was this the time where he should let go? Again the thought brought so much pain inside of him that his next words sounded aggressive rather than the reasonable stance he had intended to take.  
  
"Are you willing to listen tonight?"  
  
"I wouldn't believe you any more than before, Cole…"  
  
"Then why are we having this conversation?" He asked angrily.  
  
"Come on, Cole. Aren't you tired of this?"  
  
"I said that this would end only if you were willing to give me a chance to explain…"  
  
"And you know that I won't believe a word you say…You lied one too many times!"  
  
"What was I supposed to do," Cole exploded suddenly. "If I'd told you why I was there, would you have let me come with you?"  
  
"At least that would've been honest," Phoebe replied stubbornly.  
  
"And then what? You'd probably have dumped me deeper in the desert the moment I turned my back on you!"  
  
"What the hell did you expect? You knew what I wanted!"  
  
Cole exhaled deeply, only then realizing that they had been screaming and fighting rather than solving anything. He rubbed his temples, buying himself some time to think. Then he tried to be as candid as he could.  
  
"Phoebe…I'm not perfect alright…I just know that I want you so much I feel like I'm gonna die if I don't have you."  
  
"Is that all you want?" Phoebe seemed hurt again and he realized that once more he had sounded wrong.  
  
"Please I don't know what I'm saying anymore. I'm so tired Phoebe…"  
  
Phoebe didn't answer right away, pacing the cell nervously. Then she suddenly turned to him.  
  
"Double or nothing!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You like to play games don't you? I heard you play a mean poker… Let's decide this here and now. You win; I'll let you have your way with me for as long as you want.  
  
But if I win…you'll let my daughter and me go with the gold and no conditions…"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Cole, it's too late for anything else. Nothing you'll say will make me believe in you."  
  
Cole stood up then and paced the hallway as if he was afraid to stop and lose everything.  
  
"Phoebe…I know that you love me… I know that for certain…I saw it in your eyes in that cave. So why can't you just admit it and give me a chance?"  
  
"I made you an offer Cole…I'm still waiting for an answer," Phoebe said, ignoring his plea.  
  
Cole hesitated at length, half disgusted with the prospect, but still somewhat willing to take the offer. He had gambled a lot in his life. The only thing was he had never gambled his life before.  
  
Cole looked at Phoebe intensely, but she seemed determined.  
  
"Alright, but I have a counterproposal…"  
  
"What?" Phoebe questioned suspiciously.  
  
"If I win, you'll marry me…"  
  
Phoebe opened her mouth to protest but she closed it almost immediately without uttering a sound. After a long moment, she finally said:  
  
"Agreed… but we play high card…"  
  
Cole gave her another pointed look, and then he went to the door that led to the office.  
  
"Guard?"  
  
As soon as he'd spoken, the door opened, which told him that they had been listening in. "I'm guessing you know what I want?"  
  
"You got guts man," the guard uttered as he handed him a deck of cards.  
  
Cole ignored the twisted compliment and he went back toward Phoebe, while the guard stood in the doorway. Cole didn't like this scrutiny, but he knew it was useless to send the guard away. He'd still be listening in anyway.  
  
Coming near the bars for the first time in over a week, he remembered the last time and hesitated slightly. Phoebe let out an unhappy laughter.  
  
"Don't worry; I won't bite…"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
He handed her the deck then.  
  
"Phoebe, we don't have to do this…"  
  
"I think we do…unless you'll let me go?"  
  
Cole swallowed hard at this.  
  
"I can't…" he trailed painfully.  
  
"But if I win…"  
  
"If you win…if you call that a win…" Cole turned to the guard.  
  
"Open this door…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm the one who put her there…I'm asking you to open this door."  
  
"Do as he says," Paul's voice came from the doorway.  
  
They all turned toward him then.  
  
"You've come to gloat?" Cole questioned irritably.  
  
Paul just stood there without a word as the guard pulled his keys and opened the cell door. Phoebe sighed uncertainly. Either way, she was getting out of this place, but even as she began shuffling the deck, she wondered indeed how she could call that a win…  
  
"I think you don't need us anymore," Paul told them then, as he indicated the door insistently to the guard. This one still lingered for a moment, and then he went out with a shrug…  
  
"Cole…" Paul called.  
  
"What," This one answered irritably. His nerves were practically shot at this point.  
  
"Remember what I said…at least try…" Then Paul went out of the room without waiting for an answer.  
  
"What did he mean," Phoebe questioned, as she procrastinated with the cards.  
  
"Nothing important…let's do this…"  
  
Phoebe was shaking at this point and she wasn't certain if it was because she was gambling her life to him, or because she might actually win.  
  
"Ready?" Cole insisted, startling her.  
  
"Yeah," she said as she extended the deck toward him.  
  
Cole quickly cut the deck and then, he hesitated only slightly before pulling his card. The moment he had done so, he knew what he had to do. For the first time in a week, he felt that he could breathe again. Without looking at the card, he quickly put it back on the deck.  
  
"I won't do that…"  
  
"What? We had a bargain; and I'm holding you to that!"  
  
"There's no need for it. I'm letting you go."  
  
Phoebe gave him an astounded look.  
  
"You what?"  
  
"Go! I'm letting you go. I'm not playing this game anymore…"  
  
To illustrate this, he moved away from the cell door and waited for her to come out.  
  
Phoebe had trouble moving her legs, so shook up she felt by then. Nevertheless, after a moment she went out and slowly made her way toward the other door.  
  
"Phoebe," Cole called softly.  
  
Phoebe stopped expectantly. Suddenly, she almost wished he tried to stop her.  
  
Instead he said:  
  
"I just wanted you to know…I'm sorry. Come by to the hotel tomorrow. Mrs. Lassiter will prepare Mike's belongings. I took the liberty of buying her some stuff. I hope you don't mind her keeping it…"  
  
Phoebe answered without looking back.  
  
"Of course not…" She had to force herself to take the last few steps to the door. Then she looked back and Cole smiled sadly but said nothing more.  
  
Cole watched her going out of the room and then he went to sit on the cot where she had slept for the last week. Slowly, his head dropped toward his hands…  
  
Paul watched Phoebe hesitating.  
  
"Hey, I guess you won," he asked, even though he knew what had happened.  
  
"I guess," Phoebe uttered in a little voice.  
  
"If you wish, I can put you up at my place for tonight…no funny business, cross my heart."  
  
Phoebe vaguely smiled for a moment, but her heart wasn't in it.  
  
"That's mighty big of you," she answered.  
  
Paul went to take her arm and accompanied her to the door. However, there he stopped short, as if an idea just struck him.  
  
"Did he ever tell you about his inheritance?"  
  
"Well, I gathered it was rather large…we never really talked much about that…"  
  
"I thought so…did he tell you he renounced it?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That man is so weird…one would think he would've used it…"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You know… I don't think I'd ever go to those extremes for a girl…I guess he really is a gambler. I supposed that losing is part of the game…"  
  
"What the hell do you mean he renounced it?"  
  
Paul smiled sweetly.  
  
"I don't know about you…but if a girl was ready to give up everything for me…I think I'd go for it. And it wouldn't hurt if she also loved my child…"  
  
"You're saying he gave all that up just for me," Phoebe questioned incredulously.  
  
"Crazy isn't it?" Paul commented with a big grin.  
  
Phoebe didn't know exactly what she should make of this, but there was one more thing that she had to know, and this she couldn't ask Paul.  
  
Without warning, she went back toward the cell.  
  
Cole heard steps and figured that Paul was coming to gloat again. He didn't feel like looking up. When he heard her voice, his heart skipped a beat.  
  
"What about the gold?"  
  
"I told you…it's yours," he said, while the sinking feeling returned.  
  
"Cole, look at me, please."  
  
He looked up uncertainly. Phoebe was standing there with a very serious expression.  
  
"Hey, that's ok," he said again, "I told you; I won't stop you. It's all yours…"  
  
"But if we got married it would've been yours too…"  
  
"Hum…nah, I guess it would still have been yours," he said with a weak smile. "I really didn't care much. I bought the ranch with the reward…but you know I think I'll sell it back…it really was for you, so…"  
  
"A ranch?"  
  
"Well, I thought it'd be a better place to raise the kid than a hotel room. Hey, if you want it, it's yours too. I won't need it."  
  
"Cole…Why did you give up your inheritance…?"  
  
"Who said I did," he answered a little too quickly.  
  
"Paul said so…"  
  
"Well, if he said so…"  
  
"Why?" Phoebe insisted.  
  
"You said you didn't belong to anybody…I figured if you were richer than I was, you'd feel like the roles were reversed. Besides, I found that I didn't need his money…I've got a good practice right here."  
  
Phoebe turned away again and this time, he didn't think he could stand this.  
  
"Phoebe?"  
  
"Yeah?" she said without looking back.  
  
"Please don't leave me…" he said in a broken voice.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"If I tell you, you won't believe me…"  
  
"Try me!"  
  
"I love you," he said softly.  
  
"How can I believe that?"  
  
Cole was totally desperate as she took another step away. He didn't think he had any pride left in him and decided that he might use this new humility. He slid from the cot and on his knees.  
  
"I'm begging you, please don't leave me…"  
  
When Phoebe looked back, he saw tears in her eyes.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I love you, Phoebe…I love you."  
  
Phoebe smiled through her tears and she came to kneel in front of him.  
  
"Can you say that again?"  
  
"Which part," he said while he smiled almost shyly.  
  
"All of it?"  
  
"I'm begging you…" Before he could say anything else, her lips were on his, already searching, wanting. Without hesitation, he encircled her waist and pulled her to him tightly. When her mouth left his, they were both out of breath.  
  
"I love you," Phoebe whispered so softly that Cole wasn't sure he heard.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I love you," she said louder…  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Oh yes, really…"  
  
"Then, since I'm already on my knees," he uttered, "will you marry me?"  
  
"Just as long as I don't have to say I'll obey you…"  
  
"I'm sure we can arrange that…"  
  
"Then, yes…and you better make sure that you'll stick to it…"  
  
"If I don't…I give you permission to butcher me…" he laughed.  
  
"Don't think I won't…"  
  
"I know," he said while capturing her lips again.  
  
Phoebe pulled her lips only far enough to say:  
  
"Now baby…"  
  
"Now what," he asked with a slight puzzlement.  
  
"Just now…" She uttered while pulling him toward the floor of the cell.  
  
"Hell, I thought you'd never ask," he said while pulling up the prison dress and cupping her breast.  
  
Outside the cell, one of the guards was leaning against the door with a big smirk…  
  
"So, who won?"  
  
Paul grabbed him and pulled him away. "They won…" he said with a big grin. "Now, you don't have any other prisoners do you?"  
  
"Nope…"  
  
"Then, let's get out of here. This could take a while…" 


	16. Unlawfully Yours (Epilogue)

Unlawfully Yours  
  
Epilogue  
  
  
  
Coleridge Turner climbed out of the Stagecoach and was almost immediately assaulted by strange smells he thought he vaguely remembered, along with the intense heat. If the coach had felt hot, the blazing sun of this June day was almost unbearable. He reflected that he must have become too old for this uncaring climate. Rudolf got out in turn, carrying their bags, and they headed for the Grand Hotel immediately. As he neared it, Coleridge caught sight of a sign that said:  
  
'Cole Turner  
  
Attorney at Law'  
  
The old man almost laughed at the sight. Who would have thought? Yet, he wasn't about to let his son down easy. As he had stopped, Rudolf turned curiously toward him.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Why don't you arrange for the rooms, and for a bath to be prepared? I think I'll visit the local attorney myself."  
  
Rudolf followed his gaze and a vague smile spread over his lips before he nodded in acquiescence and left the old man by himself.  
  
Coleridge made his way slowly across the street and just as he was about to open the door to his son's office, he was startled by a young woman heading out. She had on a simple dress, with very little adornments, but Coleridge immediately thought that she didn't need any. The girl was small but stunning all over. There was something so sensual about her that even an old man like him felt a stirring. He told himself, somewhat mockingly, that if he were forty years younger, he'd never let that one pass him by. What's more, even as he watched her, she stared back at him without any sign of reserve.  
  
"Hey, old man…? Seen enough yet?"  
  
Coleridge was startled but at the same time, he had an urge to laugh that he repressed with some difficulties. Without a word, he went in, ignoring the smirk on the girl's lips.  
  
It didn't take long for him to be led into the inner office. There, he watched his son in silence with some curiosity.  
  
"Come on, Dad," Cole said at last, "you used to be more talkative…I'm supposing you didn't come all this way just to check my suit?"  
  
"Well, I was gonna say," Coleridge uttered gruffly, "maybe you should consider changing tailors…"  
  
"You never had any taste…"  
  
"Is that a way to greet your father?"  
  
Cole chuckled unhappily.  
  
"I'm guessing this isn't a visit of courtesy, so whatever you have to say…get it out."  
  
Coleridge had been planning quite the speech, but for some reason, he couldn't utter the words he had wanted to.  
  
"Looks like you made something for yourself," he answered hesitantly instead.  
  
"You've been telling me that I should…"  
  
"I just never thought it'd be in a place like this…"  
  
"Well," Cole replied while surveying his office, "may not be the luxury you're used to, but at least it's all mine."  
  
"You had no reason to throw my money in my face," Coleridge said then, with a mildly reproachful voice.  
  
"I simply found something better…"  
  
Coleridge observed him for a moment, wondering if his son really meant that.  
  
"I think I met one of your customers on the way here…Not exactly a businessman."  
  
"You mean my wife?"  
  
"Your what?"  
  
"My wife…I sent you a letter about her, but I guess it got there after you left."  
  
"Nice of you to let me know," Coleridge replied uncertainly. "You know that she almost called me a dirty old bag?"  
  
"That's Phoebe alright," Cole chuckled. "I'll introduce you properly to her and our daughter later…"  
  
This time, Coleridge was actually stunned. He had many questions now, but one was the foremost on his mind.  
  
"Where's the playboy that left Boston two months ago?"  
  
"I shed him somewhere between the desert and the local prison."  
  
"You were in prison?"  
  
"It's a long story…"  
  
A year later…  
  
"Why in the hell would I wanna come here for our first anniversary," Cole questioned, as he looked around the waterhole with a hint of contempt.  
  
"Hey, I thought you forgave me for that," Phoebe chuckled before dismounting.  
  
"I may have forgiven you, but it doesn't mean I like to be reminded…" In saying so, Cole was getting off the horse reluctantly. He remembered too well the feeling of humiliation he had a little more than a year ago in this very place. Granted, things had changed a lot, but he thought that it was very much like her to bring him here, where he never wanted to set foot again, for a special occasion.  
  
"I'd really prefer we moved on to Tucson, as we had planned…"  
  
"It's already almost nightfall… and besides, I never intended to go there…" Phoebe replied mischievously, as she came to lean heavily against him.  
  
"So you lied…" Cole replied, unable to hold back a smile in spite of his irritation.  
  
"I knew what you'd say…"  
  
"So what's the plan," he questioned, while she began caressing his buttocks suggestively.  
  
"I take off my clothes and you run away for old time's sake?"  
  
"Hum…stripping is definitely part of it."  
  
"Or maybe," Cole replied impishly while grabbing her hips and pulling her tighter against him, "I could try and see if you'll follow me naked in the desert?"  
  
"I wouldn't tempt fate, cowboy…Besides," she added as she felt him already aroused, "I don't think you're going anywhere any time soon…"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Make love to me and by tomorrow you'll have forgotten all about the bad memories…"  
  
He smiled and began undressing her, kissing her breasts softly as she closed her eyes and sighed with utter contentment. Slowly, his kisses moved toward her belly and he shed her pants while caressing her legs and coming back up slowly toward her buttocks. Then without warning he picked her up and brought her all the way toward the waterhole.  
  
"You know baby," he whispered in her ear, "there's something I really felt like doing last year…"  
  
Without opening her eyes, Phoebe answered in kind.  
  
"I really think I know what it was…"  
  
"I don't think so," he uttered louder, before dropping her into the water.  
  
Phoebe exclaimed loudly in outraged surprise, and then she looked up angrily.  
  
"Hey, what the hell was that for?"  
  
"Just something I felt like," he replied with a mocking smile. "See, that's about what I wanted to do last year…and more."  
  
"Cole Turner, you can't treat the mother of your child like this," Phoebe shouted while slapping the water.  
  
"You know, I don't think Mike would mind her mother taking a bath," he laughed. "As a matter of fact, she'd have some fun here too…"  
  
"I wasn't talking about Mike," Phoebe uttered irritably.  
  
At first, Cole didn't understand what she'd meant. Then, as the truth dawned on him, he went into the water in turn with an astounded expression.  
  
"What do you mean," he asked uselessly.  
  
"From the look of you, I'd say you already know," Phoebe answered with a little smile.  
  
"I thought the doctor said…"  
  
"The doctor is a quack. He wasn't counting on our…persistence."  
  
Realizing what he had just done, Cole slightly panicked.  
  
"Are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I. Please tell me you're fine," he said while brushing her belly nervously.  
  
"Now that you're wet too, I feel much better…"  
  
Cole looked up suspiciously at this.  
  
"You wouldn't lie to me now, would you? Because really, that'd be too cruel…"  
  
"Hum…although you really deserve some punishment for this…nah, I wouldn't lie to you about something like that," she finally said with a soft smile.  
  
Cole pulled her to him and hugged her so tight, she could barely breathe.  
  
"I gather it makes you happy," she uttered when he gave her a little room to breathe again.  
  
"I love you…"  
  
"Prove it," she uttered playfully.  
  
He kissed her passionately before pulling away with a slightly worried stare.  
  
"Are you sure it's safe?"  
  
"Much safer for you than if you don't, lover…"  
  
"Thank god," he said, while shedding his clothes quickly and throwing the wet outfit on the sand, "cause really, that's the first thing I wanted to do a year ago," he added, between hungry kisses.  
  
"Can I let you in on a little secret," Phoebe questioned between ragged breaths, as he grabbed one of her nipples with his mouth and his tongue played sensuously with it.  
  
"Another?" he questioned hoarsely.  
  
"I wanted just the same thing last year…It was torture to leave…"  
  
"Well," he laughed softly, "I wouldn't wanna torture you now."  
  
His hand went inside her thighs and he caressed her until she parted them on her own. Then he began stroking her loins, exploring her until she let out little screams of delight.  
  
Cole was so hard already it was painful, yet he was still hesitating, and Phoebe called with some frustration.  
  
"Hey, he's not gonna bite!"  
  
"He?" Cole questioned while giving in and entering her with a sigh of release.  
  
"I ordered a boy," she uttered huskily, while her hips moved impatiently.  
  
"Then, I guess we're getting a boy, because lord knows, the gods wouldn't dare contradict you…"  
  
Afterward, they didn't waste any more breath in talking…  
  
  
  
Twenty years later.  
  
Young Paul, who looked a lot like Cole Turner, looked up and cringed at the creaking noises coming from the opened upstairs window.  
  
"Oh come on," he said, although with a hint of amusement.  
  
An aging Paul dismounted in the courtyard at this point, and also noted the obvious sounds with a wicked smile.  
  
"Hey boy!" He called to the young man. "Aren't they going on their little annual trip?"  
  
"They had to postpone it when those men came to put up the first derrick. Dad is still amazed that this dirty oil they found while digging for a well might be worth something."  
  
"Hey, who knows, in the end maybe he made a better bargain buying this ranch than taking the old man's money…although of course, the fact Coleridge gave it to you and Mike instead pleased him too…"  
  
Paul noticed the boy casting annoyed looks at the window.  
  
"Wanna take a walk? I don't think they're gonna come up for air any time soon," Paul said with renewed amusement.  
  
"Yeah, let's do that. I guess I should be grateful they're in the bedroom…"  
  
The two of them walked up to where the new derrick was being erected. After they watched the workers for a while in silence Paul suddenly said more seriously:  
  
"You know boy, you shouldn't be so judgemental."  
  
"Oh I'm not…It's just sometimes I wonder how they can still…"  
  
"Oh just be grateful you've got parents still so in love …"  
  
"If you call that love," young Paul uttered with a little smile of his own. "Michelle and I always knew not to walk around this place too much when they disappeared…"  
  
Paul sensed that there was something else to his mood.  
  
"Girl problems…? You know you can come to me any time…"  
  
"Dad told me that you'd played matchmaker for them once…"  
  
Paul laughed.  
  
"Well, it worked didn't it?"  
  
"Nah, I'll take care of my problem myself…"  
  
"You really are your father's son…"  
  
"You were saying about the little trip…," Young Paul changed the subject. "Why on earth are they going in the desert like this every year?"  
  
"What, they didn't tell you?"  
  
"Just something about the need to be reminded of their past every now and then…"  
  
"That should be enough for you. It's not my place to explain…suffice for you to know that your father learned the value of humility, and earned himself many years of happiness, thanks to it."  
  
Young Paul seemed to think about it for a moment, and then he turned to the older one shyly:  
  
"About that girl…"  
  
Paul smiled indulgently as he listened to his godson. 


End file.
